Page 1364 - Week 05 - Thursday, 18 June 2020
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none before. It was done without the government committing to planting trees. It was done without red tape and bureaucracy. It was done without a tree protection act. It was done without a tree preservation order. It was done because people love trees. People love trees and they know what the benefits of trees are.
We do not need the government to tell us what we can and cannot have in relation to trees. We can work that out when we go to our local nursery and rely on the expertise and professionalism of the people there. We all know that trees bring benefits. I cast my mind back to an Assembly inquiry in this place by the environment, transport and city services committee, I think it was, perhaps in 2017, on nature in our city. I am not sure if anyone here has read that report that the committee put forward but it had a number of recommendations, including, in recommendation 5:
The Committee recommends that the ACT Government, preferably as part of the City in a Landscape Strategy, articulate the vision for the urban landscape within the ACT, including what defines quality green space.
What we have heard today from this government is that the definition of quality green space is artificial turf. That is what we have got today from this government. I do not think many Canberrans would agree that that is what we want in our green space strategy. Recommendation 12 states:
The Committee recommends that the ACT Government, preferably as part of the City in a Landscape Strategy, prioritise public tree canopy coverage as a feature of the landscape.
I tell you what, a million trees over 10 years is going to prioritise the tree canopy coverage as a feature of the landscape. Recommendation 19 says:
The Committee recommends that the ACT Government require maintenance plans for new developments to be lodged with the planning approvals to demonstrate viability and transparency of the proposals.
Once again, artificial turf pretty much solved that issue and met that recommendation. Recommendation 23 states:
The Committee recommends that the ACT Government prioritise the planting of tree species that are as adaptable to a changing climate as possible.
That is exactly what our policy of a million trees over 10 years will help to achieve. And here are another couple that I really like. Recommendation 32 states:
The Committee recommends that the ACT Government develop and implement a strategy that is co-designed with, and supports, volunteer environmentalists to guide and sustain community stewardship of the environment within the ACT.
And recommendation 35 states:
The Committee recommends that the ACT Government, in conjunction with Landcare and similar groups, identify and implement further opportunities for Junior Landcare and Junior Parkcare.
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