Ms D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park—Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Minister for Solar Homes) (Wednesday, 26 May 2021) (09:42): I am pleased to inform the house that last week I was able to honour some of our local environmental volunteers at an afternoon tea in my electorate office. Here are just some examples of the terrific work our volunteers are doing to make our planet a better place.

Mill Park Heights Primary School students are participating in the B&B Highway initiative, where by planting seeds and trees they create a kind of bed and breakfast for birds, bugs and bees. These insect hotels provide important rest points for our pollinators, helping to improve their health and the health of our planet. Epping Secondary College students are introducing recycling and exploring other initiatives to reduce the school’s waste footprint. Protecting our environment and tackling climate change has become a very important topic within this school community. Al Siraat College, in partnership with local businesses, are diligently recycling things like bottlecaps, pens and bread tags, some of which are turned into components of wheelchairs for people in South Africa. The Mill Park Garden Club has been contributing to our local flora and fauna for years, and it is thanks to this group’s work that our community has seen spaces like the Hawkstowe park transform into oases for all to enjoy.

Caring for the environment comes in many shapes and forms. The women’s group the Community of Cypriots have produced a book of recipes for non-chemical cleaning products based on the practices of their mothers. The contribution of the Friends of Merri Creek and the Friends of Toorourrong to our local waterways has been significant. These volunteers work alongside Parks Victoria and Melbourne Water staff to clear, clean, revegetate and regenerate our local waterways and preserve the Indigenous history connected to this land. It is inspiring to know that such diverse members of our community are supporting our environment, and I congratulate and thank each and every one of them.

Hansard link: Environmental Volunteers