Fiona Phillips and Carol Berry announced that a re-elected Albanese Labor Government will clean up saltmarshes in three locations: the Clyde River at Batemans Bay, Burrill Lake and Lake Illawarra.
Saltmarsh ecosystems provide shelter for juvenile fish and popular recreational fish species, as well as being prawn-production powerhouses.
Unfortunately, there has been a large decline in saltmarshes across the NSW South Coast. This election commitment will deliver $600,000 to OzFish who will partner with local recreational fishers, traditional owners and municipal councils to monitor and improve the saltmarshes.
OzFish is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping the millions of Aussie recreational fishers take control of the health of their rivers, lakes and estuaries.
Restoration at this scale will only happen by engaging local volunteers in the community. This $600,000 election commitment will help OzFish to maintain these saltmarshes and with the help of over 100 volunteers allow them to undertake:
- Weed removal and native species planting
- Rubbish removal
- Educational workshops and events
- Ecosystem health assessments
OzFish will continue to maintain these sites for years to come.
This project would build on the Government’s other investments to better protect our environment, including over $550 million to better protect threatened plants and animals and tackle invasive pests.
Consistent with past practice, election commitments will be delivered in line with Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles.
Quotes attributable to Tanya Plibersek, Member for Sydney:
“We know Australians care deeply about nature and want to do their bit to protect the environment for their kids and grandkids.
“This project will help restore saltmarshes and boost water quality, better protecting the native species that rely on these waterways.
“Healthy saltmarshes support fish and prawn breeding - that’s why people who love fishing are so keen to get involved in these projects.
“It’s also a great way to get more locals in the Illawarra and South Coast involved in looking after nature in their community.
“This builds on our $200 million investment in over 100 projects to clean up rivers and waterways in urban areas. These include things like removing weeds in the Lane Cove River corridor to better protect the Glossy Black-Cockatoo, restoring more than 3 hectares of native oyster reefs that had been decimated by disease in the Georges River, and improving wetland connectivity to support fish populations in Cairns.
“After a decade of environmental vandalism by the Liberals and Nationals, Labor has made record investments to undo the damage done. We’ve protected an extra 100 million hectares of land and ocean, doubled funding for national parks including Booderee, and invested over $550 million to better protect threatened plants and animals and tackle invasive pests.
“Plus, a re-elected Labor Government will invest $250 million to protect an extra 30 million hectares of Aussie bush – an area bigger than New Zealand.
“The choice at the election couldn’t be clearer. Labor will protect nature, fund essential science, invest in threatened species, and act on climate change. Or the climate deniers and wreckers of the Liberal and National parties who haven’t made a single commitment that would help improve nature.”
Quotes attributable to Fiona Phillips MP
“Being a coastal electorate, our local waterways are so important to our community.
“We have many community groups engaged with keeping our waterways clean, and I am pleased to be giving this money to OzFish, so that local volunteers can help maintain our important saltmarshes in the Clyde River and Burrill Lake.
“Only an Albanese Labor Government will deliver for our environment.”
Quotes attributable to Carol Berry
“I know our communities along Lake Illawarra love using our lake for recreational activities like fishing and swimming, and it’s so important that we look after the lake for generations to come.
“I am pleased that OzFish volunteers have put their hand up to look after our important saltmarshes along Lake Illawarra and am proud to be delivering this funding to them.”
