Oatley Electorate Environmental Projects

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-113688

Hansard session: Fifty-Seventh Parliament, First Session (57-1)

Oatley Electorate Environmental Projects

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (18:14):New South Wales, and particularly my local community, boast incredible natural beauty. Today I will discuss our Government's commitment to ensuring we protect our beautiful environment, both locally and across the State.Investing in the protection of our environment pays immediate dividends. Our commitment to the environment will ensure future generations will be able to enjoy the spoils of the environment like we have been able to. The Return and Earn program continues to bear fruit statewide, with our local community more than pulling its weight. To give the House an idea of the scale of this initiative, there have been over half a million containers returned at Westfield Hurstville, close to 800,000 at Spotlight Rockdale, over a million at the Bexley Golf Club, over eight million at Carss Park and a whopping 13.4 million bottles and cans returned at Club Grandviews, Peakhurst. That is a truly remarkable effort by my local community and a big win for our environment.

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In a time when securing environmental sustainability is increasingly essential and when we have a Government committed to preserving our environment for future generations, it is important to the members of our communities that we continue to act to fulfil that commitment. We are committed to doing all that we can to ensure that environmental sustainability is a real possibility for the State. An important part of doing that is by preserving our national parks. It is only by securing the biodiversity of our local areas and conserving Australia's natural resources that we can ensure that future generations will live in an environment that is of the same standard, if not better than the environment as it stands today.

Early in my tenure as the member for Oatley I was able to secure a commitment of just under $700,000 to establish the Dharawal National Park, with new walking tracks and signs for the community to engage with and enjoy our State's natural environment. The majority of the conservation area is now protected under national park status. As a candidate for State Parliament and as a former councillor in my local area I championed that outcome because, at the end of the day, it is part of the Georges River area. This status has ensured the protection of over 2,000 upland swamps, which are rich in plant and animal life and which feed pristine water to O'Hares Creek at the headwaters of the Georges River. The area is also home to 20 endangered and vulnerable animal species, including koalas and eastern pygmy possums and major populations of three nationally significant plant species.

Additionally, the elevation of the area to national park status further ensures that the rich cultural heritage of this area is maintained. We recognise the importance of preserving Indigenous artefacts and traditions. This area holds great significance to the Dharawal people with a large variety of some of the most impressive examples of rock art I have ever seen. This Government also ensured that our nation's art, history and culture will be preserved for future generations.I commend community groups and local residents for working with me and the Government to ensure that our State's environment is protected and secured. Notably, for over 60 years the Oatley Flora & Fauna Conservation Society has been promoting the need to conserve our natural environment. I look forward to continuing my work with groups like that, as well as with this Government, to ensure the health and diversity of the St George area flora and fauna moving forward.

I was also delighted to announce that $100,000 would go towards the Georges River Council for a Bushcare project at Gannons Park in Peakhurst that would protect, restore and enhance the local environment. This project has focused on the restoration of three hectares of the powerful owl habitat and the improvement of stormwater qualitythrough the removal of weeds and rubbish, management of erosion and replanting of local native species.Our local community expects that our open space will remain in the hands of the community. That is why it was particularly satisfying to announce earlier this year that $900,000 would be committed to keep and decontaminate the site of the former Oatley Bowling Club.All of this is possible only through the hard work and dedication of our brilliant Government through the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, and the Minister for Energy and Environment, Matt Kean. I personally thank Minister Kean for his commitment to my local community.I look forward to keeping the House updated on future environmental projects in the electorate of Oatley.