Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Two hundred and eighteen years and 11 months ago, George Bass and Matthew Flinders were the first non-Aboriginals to sail up and explore the breaches of the Georges River. They sailed up to Bankstown over a nine-day trip. Since that time, we have seen an enormous increase in our prosperity. But one thing on which we have gone backwards is the quality of the environment of the Georges River. I have lived within a stone's throw of the Georges River tributaries all my life, and I recall stories my grandfather told me about how he used to swim in those tributaries when the water was crystal clear and clean. That is something we cannot do today. I would hope that sometime in the future my grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be able to swim in that river the way my grandfather was able to.

Therefore, as a member of this federal coalition government, I am very proud that we are investing $4.4 million in improving the environment of the Georges River through a number of Green Army projects and also through a project known as Building Indigenous Knowledge and Skills to Restore Urban Waterways. Last week I was very proud to be at the launch of the Georges River Combined Councils Committee's Aboriginal Riverkeeper Team, a team that will undertake bush regeneration across the river catchment and improve the natural and cultural heritage of the river. I am very proud that this is being done by a coalition government. (Time expired)