Andrew Leigh

A SHORTEN LABOR GOVERNMENT WILL CLEAN UP GINNINDERRA CREEK

Ginninderra Creek has been named as a priority project under Labor’s Urban Rivers and Corridors Program, designed to bring urban waterways and habitat corridors back to health.

A Shorten Labor Government will commit $600,000 to help fund woody weed removal and revegetation with native plants along the waterway, as well as facilitate community education about local ecology.

The proposal to restore Ginninderra Creek was first elaborated upon by the local catchment peak body - comprised of more than 17 Landcare groups - which has long standing expertise in the ecology and stewardship of waterways in the area. Local waterways are one of the delights of living in the bush capital, and North Canberrans have heartily thrown their support behind the campaign to see this project prioritised.

The funding is part of a $200 million nationwide commitment to restore urban rivers across the country to their natural beauty. Labor’s investment will unlock grant funding for projects to clean up our rivers including revegetation, tree planting, waste capture and naturalisation projects.

Labor will engage state and local governments, local councils, community groups and local environmental organisations to bring urban waterways and habitat corridors back to health.

Labor’s $200 million investment will unlock grant funding for projects to clean up our rivers including:

• Building wetlands to capture, clean and filter stormwater.
• Revegetation and tree planting along corridors.
• Citizen science and education programs along creeks and corridors, including bush kinder.
• Bird boxes and waste capture.
• Employment of Indigenous Rangers.
• Turning urban waterways back into creeks and rivers again through changing hard surfaces back to natural surfaces (cement turned to river banks).

Labor’s commitment to cleaning up urban rivers is part of a broader strategy to restore our oceans to health, including restoring Australia’s Marine Parks and tackling waste and plastics.

Labor has committed to undoing the massive cuts to Australia’s Marine Parks. Our environment is buckling from the pressure of climate change, pollution, waste and destruction of natural areas.

The Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government has consistently failed to provide federal environment programs that adequately address the urgent need for urban river rehabilitation.

Only Labor is serious about protecting the environment and making sure it’s there for future generations to enjoy – action on climate change, investing in the environment, and maintaining Australia’s status as the “great outdoors.”

These policies and projects will form part of a comprehensive platform for a healthier environment in our cities and across Australia.

This election is a choice between Labor’s plan for the environment, of three more years of cuts and chaos under the Liberals.

End the chaos. Vote for change. Vote for Labor.

ENDS

Authorised by Noah Carroll ALP Canberra.