Wednesday, 18 March 2026

 Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (12:52): (2234) My question is to the Minister for Planning. The City of Boroondara, which manages around 60,000 street trees, has raised concerns with my office about achievement of the state’s canopy cover goals. With little protection for trees on private land and increased development to provide necessary housing, urban canopy is under pressure. In relation to street trees, the council is concerned about how we strike a balance for electrical line safety without undermining the state’s own canopy and heat resilience goals. Council says reduced clearances can be safely achieved and that protecting urban canopy is critical to cooling our suburbs, reducing heat stress and supporting biodiversity. Minister, at a time when Victorian communities are being asked to adapt to worsening extreme heat and drought, what is the government doing to achieve its own tree canopy targets and keep our suburbs cool, green and livable?