CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Mr JOSH WILSON (Fremantle—Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy and Assistant Minister for Emergency Management) (10:13): We've now entered what we term the higher risk weather season: the period over summer that has always been characterised by disaster events in the forms of cyclones and floods and bushfires. We recognise that climate change has already exacerbated the intensity and range of those events, putting additional pressure on our environment and our communities.

For that reason, I want to take this opportunity as a local member, and in my role as the Assistant Minister for Emergency Management, to acknowledge the work of volunteer fire brigades in my electorate and around the country. Volunteer firies make a vital contribution to our safety and wellbeing, and they do so by giving their time and effort in fraught and often dangerous circumstances.

I've been really glad to support both the Jandakot and the South Coogee Volunteer Bushfire brigades, including with funding on multiple occasions through the Volunteer Grants program and the Stronger Community Grants program. I reckon there will be lots of members who have done the same. It's only right that government and members of parliament should back in the effort of community volunteers, especially in this area.

As we enter another summer that will inevitably involve serious fire risks, I encourage everyone to consider how we can support our bushfire brigade volunteers, especially by avoiding fire risks and by taking risk reduction activities guided by the information, in Western Australia, at emergency.wa.gov.au, but also perhaps by making a donation to the Association of Volunteer Bushfire Brigades WA or even by getting involved as a volunteer yourself.

One of the best ways to make our communities more resilient is through nature based restoration work—work that does so much to improve environmental conditions and protect our distinctive Australian biodiversity. There's no question that we need more and more of that work to occur across the Australian landscape through efforts large and small. A few weeks ago, I was glad to join with the valiant Friends of Cantonment Hill for one of their regular weeding sessions as part of their longstanding commitment to supporting the environmental significance of this beautiful limestone hill.

I want to acknowledge, in particular, the decades long dedication of Paula Amaral to that task. More recently, I was glad to help launch the new Cockitrough at Clontarf Hill, which was funded with $35,000 from within the broader $125,000 allocation to a network of seven cockatoo watering stations across my electorate that stretch from Banjup to Beaconsfield. Again, Clontarf Hill is an environmental treasure, a significant Bush Forever site that benefits from the wholehearted care provided by the Friends of Clontarf Hill.

I want to pay particular tribute to Christine Duckham, who's been an indefatigable leader of local environmental efforts, especially at Clontarf Hill. Through Christine and Paula's example, there's now a big, vibrant crew of people at each of Clontarf and Cantonment hills, benefiting from the joys that caring for nature brings with it—the sense of connection to country and to one another as we share the labour of love that is environmental stewardship that benefits our landscape.