Tuesday, 2 June 2026

 Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Environment, Minister for Outdoor Recreation) (14:29): I rise to update the house on our government’s work to make Melbourne greener, cooler and more livable through our More Trees for Melbourne program. As our city grows, we know that access to shade, green space and canopy matters more than ever. It matters for the quality of our streets and suburbs, and it matters for families walking to school, older Victorians moving through their local community, workers on hot days and people enjoying the great outdoors. That is why we are investing $9.5 million to plant 500,000 more trees across Melbourne. The program is targeted, practical and focused on the areas that need it most – communities with low tree canopy cover and greater heat vulnerability. It builds on the success of earlier work in Melbourne’s west, with hundreds of thousands of trees already having been planted through the More Trees for a Cooler, Greener West program. This is not just about planting trees. It is about improving the everyday places that Victorians rely on. It is about making suburbs cooler and healthier; it is about supporting biodiversity, improving stormwater management and creating better urban environments for future generations; and it is about making sure government investment goes where it can have the greatest impact, because this is what good environmental policy looks like: practical action, targeted investment and lasting benefits for all Victorians.