Mark Butler MP

Matt Keogh MP

Hannah Beazley - Labor Candidate for Swan

Yesterday, Labors Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Hon. Mark Butler MP, Federal Member for Burt, Matt Keogh MP and I met with representatives from local environmental group including the South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare (SERCUL), Armadale Gosnells Landcare Group, Friends of Mary Carroll Wetland, Canning River Residents Environmental Protection Association, Friends of Kensington Bushland, Bannister Creek Catchment Group, City of South Perth Environment Association and Friends of Brixton Street Wetlands for a climate change and environment round table in Beckenham.

Our parks and rivers are the heart of our community. We are home to beautiful natural environments, from the Swan and Canning Rivers to the Kensington bushland. The health of our environment is vital to our own health and amenity.

Since coming into office, the Liberal Government has cut funding for the environment by over 30 percent, our greenhouse gas emissions are on the rise and they've removed more area from conservation than any other government in the world, ever. This is being felt on the ground right here in our community in Swan.

It was very valuable to hear from locals who are working on the ground to protect and preserve our natural environment and about the challenges they face. There are many ways we can support them in the important work they do and I hope to have the opportunity to do just that if elected.

Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Hon Mark Butler MP:

Its always great to meet with local environment groups like SERCUL who are so passionate about not only restoring and preserving local rivers and wetlands but are committed to seeing them thrive into the future.

The groups raised numerous concerns, especially a lack of Landcare funding, land-clearing and volunteer support.

During the last Labor Government, we decreased carbon pollution by 10 per cent but unfortunately under the Abbott/Turnbull Government pollution has increased by 6 per cent.

SERCUL Chairperson, Pat hart:

SERCUL and our local environmental groups representatives welcomed the opportunity to speak to Matt Keogh MP and Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Mark Butler about their concerns and needs in how their groups go forward into the future and also more strategic issues such as land clearing.

The concerns that the Swan Canning Urban areas are not being recognised fully in Federal Government Landcare funding; the main concern being the opportunity to employ people to assist volunteers was acknowledged and hopefully taken on board.

It was a very positive meeting and I look forward in the future to further opportunities for the many community environmental groups in SERCULs sub region to continue to have such open and frank discussions with both State and Federal politicians.

Federal Member for Burt, Matt Keogh MP:

Local conservation groups like SERCUL do the hard yards of bringing together our community, local governments, businesses and educational institutions to develop and implement projects that improve the health of our waterways and other ecosystems.

Many people raise with me their concerns about the health of our local rivers and wetlands, such as the Canning River and Mary Carroll Wetland. I organised this roundtable to give our local environmental volunteers an opportunity to put their views to Labors leadership team, me and our candidate for Swan, Hannah Beazley.