Landcare concerns

Member for Lowan Emma Kealy fears the Landcare movement across Victoria might lose critical support personnel next year if it fails to attract State Government support.

She said contracts for Landcare facilitators were due to expire and the State Government had failed to guarantee continuing the positions.

“Historically, facilitators have been funded on a threeyear cycle and, understandably, Landcare networks were bitterly disappointed when the government only gave them a year’s worth of funding in this year’s budget,” she said.

“I have grave concerns that it won’t be continued and our fantastic facilitators will be out of a job come July next year.

Ms Kealy said Landcare groups and networks employed 79 part-time facilitators which supported 60 percent of the 600 Landcare groups across Victoria.

“Landcare is much more than environmental volunteerism. It’s about building strong, resilient communities that are proactive in managing the landscape,” she said.

Ms Kealy said a Nationals-liberal government first funded Landcare facilitators in 2011.

“Landcare groups, with the support of their local facilitators have done some fantastic work across the state, including Lowan electorate,” she said.

“Volunteers regularly step in and take action in areas where the government has failed such as controlling noxious weeds.

“As government departments have cut their frontline services such as controlling noxious weeks, local volunteer-based Landcare groups have stepped in to take action, relying heavily on the expertise and knowledge of their local facilitator.

“It is a real shame that instead of supporting that work, Labor has delivered them savage budget cuts and no assurance of funding for our fabulous Landcare facilitators beyond June next year.”

The region is home to busy Landcare networks including Project Platypus, Yarrilinks and Project Hindmarsh.