Thursday, 31 July 2025

 Tom McINTOSH (Eastern Victoria) (12:42): (1700) My question is to the Minister for Environment in the other place. Minister, how is the government supporting landcare organisations in Eastern Victoria to actively improve the environment? Next week is Landcare Week, and as secretary of the Parliamentary Friends of Landcare I want to encourage all members of this place and the other place and all members of the community to engage with their local landcare groups. Special note should be made of the South Gippsland Landcare Network, who are currently celebrating 30 years with the upcoming publication of a book highlighting all the work by volunteers and landholders over that time. Whether improving the quality of farm output, the visual amenity of the local area, connectivity for wildlife or acting locally while thinking globally on climate change, landcare groups bring people together to achieve so much for the environment. It is a labour of love. I want to end by expressing my thanks and gratitude for the many hours of work that land carers across Eastern Victoria do for all of us, for neighbouring farms, for wildlife and for future generations: thank you, indeed. Here is to another 30 years and many, many more landcare groups in South Gippsland, Eastern Victoria and across the whole of Victoria.