11 August 2010
Peter Garrett
Federal Member for Kingsford Smith
Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts
Steven Miles
Labor Candidate for Ryan
A re-elected Gillard Labor Government will invest to improve the health of Moreton Bay and local waterways.
The new investment was announced today by the Environment Protection Minister, Peter Garrett, and Labor Candidate for Ryan, Steven Miles, at a local tree planting event with volunteers and member of Save our Waterways Now (SOWN).
“Moreton Bay and the rivers and creeks throughout the Kedron Brook Catchment are well loved by our local community as places of recreation as well as for their environmental importance,” Steven Miles said.
“Today’s announcement by Federal Labor helps ensure that our environment is kept in good condition and supports the excellent work of the volunteers and community groups who work tirelessly throughout the region helping to protect and improve the health of our special part of Queensland.
“By tackling weeds, planting trees, and through other on ground activities, this funding will help reduce pollution running into Moreton Bay and help prevent erosion in local rivers and creeks.
“It will also help build on the work done to date by the Brisbane City Council along with SEQ Healthy Waterways, Kedron Brook Catchment Network, Save our Waterways Now (SOWN), local schools and the community in helping to protect and improve the health of our local environment,” Steven Miles said.
Environment Protection Minister Peter Garrett said local groups working in partnership on catchment wide water quality improvement and other environmental initiatives were a priority for the Gillard Labor Government’s $2 billion Caring for our Country program.
“Moreton Bay and the Moreton Bay wetlands are internationally renowned and Federal Labor is very pleased to support these important works which will provide real water quality improvements for the environment and recreational users,” Peter Garrett said.
This $650,000 investment is already included in the budget in the Caring for our Country program’s 2010-11 budget and work is expected to be completed by 30 June 2013.
Caring for our Country is jointly administered by Minister Garrett and the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tony Burke.