Tuesday, 1 August 2023

Northern Victoria Region

Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (14:21): (284) My constituency question is for the Minister for Environment. A mob of kangaroos living on the proposed site for the Commonwealth Games athletes village in Bendigo are still trapped despite cancellation of the event. Over the last month exclusion fencing has been erected around the Flora Hill site to force the mob away from their home and onto main roads, where several, including joeys, have been hit and killed by cars, and it has all been for nothing. Whilst the site does not provide a suitable long-term home for the mob, development has been paused to await community consultation for an alternative build. Protecting these kangas in the meantime is the very least that the government can do. My constituents want to know if the minister will support removal of the exclusion fencing and a professional relocation program before future development commences.