Coalition announces first Green Army project for Lismore
15th January, 2013
ACTING Federal Opposition Leader Warren Truss and Senator John ‘Wacca’ Williams joined Nationals Candidate for Page Kevin Hogan in Lismore today to announced in-principle approval of Australia’s first Green Army project for Lismore.The trio gave the good news to Greg Telford at the Aboriginal community, Rekindling the Spirit. In partnership with the Jubullum Land Council, the project will engage local youths in regenerating local river banks and agricultural land at Tabulum.
The Tabulum Environmental Rehabilitation Project is the very project to be approved under the Coalition’s plan for raising a Green Army of up to 15,000 young people nationwide to tackle local environmental issues.
“Under our plan, local groups dedicated to environmental protection are able to apply for a project, which would harness up to 10 members of the Green Army in spending up to 25 weeks on fixing local environmental problems,” Mr Truss said.
“The program is perfect for the Rekindling the Spirit community, as it gives young people the opportunity to gain new skills and experiences, while receiving a training allowance on top of their normal benefits.
“On top of the obvious environmental benefits, this project also rehabilitates the site for small crop farming, which will create income and employment for the community.”
Nationals candidate Kevin Hogan expressed his personal support for the project, having backed the project since the 2010 election. He encouraged locals to submit their own ideas for other green projects in the community.
“This policy is a great opportunity for the people of Page to make a significant hands-on difference at the local level and really take charge of our own environmental destiny,” he said.
“It may be cleaning up a local creek, restoring a bushwalking path, establishing a boardwalk or planting mangroves. Importantly, we want the community to come up with the projects they want. That way we can ensure local priorities identified by locals are right for the Page electorate.”
Although the program is conditional on a change of Government at the 2013 Federal Election, the Coalition is already receiving expressions of interest.
For application forms, please contact Kevin Hogan at: kevin.hogan@nswnationals.org.au.
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