Page 1364 - Week 04 - Thursday, 30 March 2017

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video


Sotiris Dounoukos, was supported by the screen arts fund for a mentorship during production.’

Another successful local film supported by the screen arts fund was Me and My Mates vs. the Zombie Apocalypse, produced by Christian Doran and Daniel Sanguineti, which received funding in 2015. It has been popular on video on demand platforms in Australia and the US and was released on DVD in the UK.

Funded in 2014, the short film Highway, directed by Vanessa Gazy, was screened at the prestigious BFI London Film Festival. It was also nominated for a best short film award at the Warsaw International Film Festival and the Flickerfest international film festival.

These great Canberra film and media success stories show why investment in funding a variety of art forms is, indeed, good for the ACT both economically and culturally.

Environment—healthy waterways project

MS CODY: My question is to the Minister for Environment and Heritage. Minister, can you inform the Assembly about the Isabella weir upgrade, recently announced as part of the healthy waterways project, and outline how it will improve the water quality in Lake Tuggeranong?

MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Ms Cody for her interest in the area, particularly in the environment of Tuggeranong. Early work has begun on the new project that will restore the natural environment of Isabella Pond, improve water quality in the Tuggeranong area and better prepare for rare flood events.

The Isabella Ponds wetlands project is the first to be constructed as part of the ACT healthy waterways project, a joint initiative of the Australian and ACT governments to invest more than $80 million in the construction of water quality infrastructure at up to 25 sites across the ACT.

The project will not only deliver recreational benefits to Canberrans; it will also contribute to a healthier Murray-Darling Basin. The area around Isabella Pond and Upper Stranger Pond is being fenced and the water drained so that work can start on the construction of new wetlands. The new wetlands will attract birds and other native wildlife and play an important role in improving water quality downstream in Lake Tuggeranong, the Murrumbidgee River and the wider Murray-Darling Basin.

While Isabella Pond is drained to construct the wetlands, the ACT government will also undertake an upgrade of Isabella weir to bring it into line with national best practice guidelines and the recently introduced ACT dams safety code.

The draining of the ponds also allows for the removal of carp and introduced pest species. Once works have been completed, the ponds will be restocked with native fish. This is a great opportunity for the ACT government to restore a more natural environment into the ponds and to improve water quality by building wetlands, removing the carp and restocking with native fish.


Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video