Landcare Week

The Hon. BOB NANVA (20:33:50):

I move:

(1) That this House notes that:

(a) Monday 7 August 2023 marks the start of Landcare Week, and this week celebrates the achievements of Landcare volunteers across Australia; and

(b) the 2023 theme of Landcare Week is to "Be inspired, be empowered and be a landcarer".

(2) That this House thanks the 60,000 Landcare volunteers across 2,400 registered groups in New South Wales for the work that they do to support the State's natural environment, agricultural lands, and rural and regional communities.

(3) That this House affirms the Government's continued partnership with Landcare with a commitment of $59 million over four years to Landcare programs.

I draw the attention of the House to Landcare Week, which this year was held from 7 August, and to the tireless and sustained efforts of Landcare's volunteers. Landcare is a community movement like no other, proactively safeguarding our precious natural environment by taking a grassroots approach to conservation. It was born out of an alliance in the eighties between the National Farmers' Federation and the Australian Conservation Foundation, two very different organisations brought together by an ambition to restore the natural environment and improve the sustainability of agricultural practices. That ambition underpinning the alliance of disparate organisations and individuals at a local level has ensured that, decades later, Landcare remains an effective force for good. In 1989 the Landcare movement was officially recognised and supported by the Hawke Government, and it became a national program on 20 July of that year. But it would have been and is nothing without the unsung heroes who comprise it.

Over the past 30-plus years, Landcare has evolved to become one of the largest volunteer movements in Australia. New South Wales alone has over 2,400 registered groups, made up of around 60,000 people who care for our land and our environment not only by planting trees—although environmental rehabilitation is an important part of what they do—but also by working with various industry groups, community groups and traditional owners on productivity measures, the health of our waterways and the conservation of threatened species. Landcare Week not only acknowledges those hardworking volunteers but also rightly honours the trailblazers who started this movement at the grassroots level all those years ago. The theme for this year's Landcare Week is, "Be inspired, be empowered, be a landcarer." I thank the volunteers for their amazing work in restoring, enhancing and protecting the natural environment in their communities, often without fanfare. I think I speak on behalf of the House when I say that we are indeed inspired by them.

Landcare has always relied on good faith collaborations between the Government and the community. That is why I am pleased that this Government has made a $59 million commitment over the next four years to support Landcare's crucial activities. While the decades-long environmental and agricultural impacts are widely understood and appreciated, it is also an investment in the lesser appreciated but still important economic, social and cultural impacts of Landcare. I am looking forward to watching the volunteers' sustained efforts as they deliver positive, on-the-ground outcomes over the many years ahead.

Ms SUE HIGGINSON (20:37:34):

The Greens support the motion acknowledging the work of the incredible Landcare volunteers across the State. Landcare is a democratic, grassroots movement that brings together—through the land—people of all ages, cultures and socio-economic backgrounds, including First Nations people, and encourages the development and implementation of local processes to shift attitudes and practices towards sustainable use and management of resources and the care and regeneration of the land. The work of Landcare is critical to the ongoing health and resilience of our landscapes and communities. It is the most important work being done right now as we face the worsening impacts of the climate crisis. Landcare volunteers are on the front lines of the changing climate. Right now in my own community of the Northern Rivers, the Landcare networks are literally rebuilding our landscape and rivers after we were smashed and changed forever by the floods of last year.

Landcare networks are the pioneers of sustainable and regenerative models of agriculture, food systems and land management, which better prepare our landscapes to endure the floods, droughts and fires that are now routine seasonal occurrences across the State under climate breakdown. An estimated 60,000 landcarers are in New South Wales alone. Landcare's vision is to have one million landcarers by 2040. The returns on investment in Landcare are exponential. A 2022 independent assessment found that, from a $22.5 million investment, Landcare returned $86 million in benefits attributable to the program. The Greens fully support the Government's commitment of $59 million over four years to Landcare programs, but it is an underinvestment because $14.7 million per year is not enough for Landcare to do the regeneration and care that we need it to do and it is not enough to grow that incredible movement. Four years does not allow it to be as strategic and secure as we need it to be. Landcare deserves increased, secure recurrent funding.

Time expired.

Landcare's Eat Dirt project, involving Bellingen High School, is a community initiative that is reimaging education in Australia by facilitating student learning through connection to country, nature and each other. It is aimed at improving youth mental health by taking young people outside to help with habitat restoration and spend time in nature. In this program young people are connecting with First Nations teachers and Elders and learning about traditional knowledge and practice and caring for country. It is a preparatory program to ensure that children have strong mental health as they face the escalating distress of living under the conditions of the extinction and climate crisis. I acknowledge the incredible and powerful work of Gumbaynggirr Elder Uncle Micklo Jarrett, and I acknowledge the pain and mistreatment he has recently experienced from this Government while on the front lines of Newry and Oakes state forests, as it has destroyed the forest and the critical habitat on his country. The Greens stand in full support, respect and gratitude of Landcare— []

The Hon. AILEEN MacDONALD (20:41:01):

I support the motion of the Hon. Bob Nanva regarding Landcare Week. One Landcare organisation, Southern New England Landcare—or SNELC for short—does great work in the country north province. Its stated mission is to lead, connect and enable local communities to reach their sustainability goals in a changing environment, which I am confident is a mission we should all support. In my own community, and throughout the New England regions, I have seen firsthand the wonderful work that Landcare carries out. In fact, next month Landcare is running workshops in Armidale for landholders who wish to understand the water cycle and improve resilience of their rural landscape. Through teaching the participants about the role of the water cycle and plants in the farming landscape, these workshops will help equip landholders with the information, knowledge and skills necessary to apply sound planning and design principles to give landscape rehydration projects the best chance of success.

That is just one example of the great work that Landcare does in our region. I recently spoke to one of the Landcare network presidents and he told me that, sadly, the volunteer base is aging and new and younger volunteers are not readily forthcoming. It is important that the Government continues to support Landcare and to encourage the younger generations to get involved, as was reflected in the 2023 Landcare Week theme. In this sunburnt country of ours we are rich in natural resources but we must work carefully to protect those resources and to use the land respectfully and responsibly. That is why organisations such as Landcare are so important. They have a long-term vision of sustainability and working through action and education to ensure that our environment is protected. I extend my thanks to the thousands of volunteers within the organisation that make the work possible. The Government continuing to support Landcare is a step in the right direction when it comes to looking out for the interests of the regions. I support the motion.

The Hon. JEREMY BUCKINGHAM (20:43:17):

I speak for the Legalise Cannabis Party and commend the Hon. Bob Nanva for bringing this important motion to the House. Landcare has been important for two generations. It has played a pivotal role in habitat restoration, sustainable agriculture and education in this country. It had its genesis in the Potter farms in the western Victoria district and the alliance between the Australian Conservation Foundation and the National Farmers' Federation. When I was doing my studies at Charles Sturt and Sydney universities, it was the work of Landcare that inspired me to get involved in conservation. In fact, in politics, I was a member of the Daroo Urban Landcare Group in Orange and the Bellingen Landcare Group in Bellingen. In my previous term in Parliament, I reactivated the Parliamentary Friends of Landcare, which did so much to get some funding for Landcare back on the table.

A bit of politics is that, if you look at the history of Landcare, the people that disliked Landcare the most was the National Party. The funding was directed away; it went to the National Heritage Trust. The National Party did not like Landcare because it brought the conservationists and the farmers together. They learnt they had a lot more in common in terms of caring for their country than people would have thought. It is that educative role that we need to be reminded of—working with landholders and communities in the city and the country to change our attitudes to our landscape. Landcare is absolutely fundamental in helping farmers identify the productivity of our native plant species; consider the symbiotic relationships between native plants and agricultural productivity; learn about cell grazing; understand the different fencing regimes, learn about identifying weeds; and manage pests in new, innovative ways that sustain the soil and protect water resources.

I welcome the news that the Government is committed to funding Landcare. It is an absolutely pivotal organisation in the community that delivers real results in ecological restoration, plants billions of trees and shrubs across the country, and makes a real difference to changing attitudes to our country by helping us understand and work with the ecological cycles. Landcare is an absolute blessing and an icon. I commend the motion to the House.

The Hon. TARA MORIARTY (Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Regional New South Wales, and Minister for Western New South Wales) (20:46:16):

On behalf of the Government, I thank the Hon. Bob Nanva for bringing the motion, and Landcare Week, to the attention of the House. It is important that we celebrate the work of Landcare in New South Wales and recognise not just Landcare Week but all the amazing volunteers and people who work in Landcare and the fantastic work they do across New South Wales. Landcare has over 2,400 registered groups in New South Wales and over 60,000 people who volunteer to care for our land and our environment. That gives some indication of how significant the organisation is and how significant the grassroots movement is, with the local groups, the local decision‑making and the work that people do in their communities to improve local land. They are involved in vital work, including revegetation, farm productivity, regeneration, threatened species conservation and Aboriginal land management techniques.

The Government recognises the vital work that Landcare does. We understand that Landcare needs sustainable, long-term funding so it can get on with its significant and important work. That is why we committed such a significant amount of money—$59 million—to fund its operations the over next period of time. That will ensure more programs in more local communities and include 84 full-time equivalent local and regional Landcare coordinator positions being filled across New South Wales. It also means that there will be more positions for First Nations people to help drive greater engagement with traditional First Nations values and land management practices, which is an important thing to invest in.

I am delighted to be the Minister responsible for rolling out that package. It is a significant commitment from the Government to invest in people in local communities who are volunteering and committed to making sure that their local lands are treated the best possible way that they can be and reinvested in and reinvigorated as necessary. It is local people, local farmers, and people from a cross-section of society who get together and make sure that they are doing the right thing by their local environment. We are very pleased to assist them financially, and also structurally, to be able to deliver that work across New South Wales.

The Hon. BRONNIE TAYLOR (20:49:09):

The Opposition supports the motion, and the Liberal Party and The Nationals are really strong supporters of Landcare. The partnerships and bipartisan support for Landcare are crucial to sustaining the vital grassroots movement. Every weekend across New South Wales, groups of people of all ages and backgrounds are doing their bit to look after our environment, and it is important that the Government continues the investments that we made in office to support that invaluable organisation. Landcare Week 2023 was just over a month ago. From everything I have seen, it succeeded in showing that Landcare is for everybody, whether they are from the city or whether they are a farmer or whether they are a student learning about biodiversity. Over 60,000 volunteers is pretty amazing.

I give a big shout-out to farmers, who make up a great proportion of Landcare. There are no greater environmentalists than farmers because we understand looking after the environment on our farms and properties. We care about the environment and are very connected to it; we live there and it is a part of us. We run a more sustainable business, a better business and a business that everybody can be proud of when we look after our environment and work with it. We allow our land and the animals that we are breeding on that land—whether for meat production, for wool or whatever it may be—to actually reach their full potential. We know how important it is, and it is great to see. I really commend the Hon. Bob Nanva for bringing this motion forward. I think he is a metropolitan person and lives in the city.

The Hon. Bob Nanva:

In the foothills of the mountains.

The Hon. BRONNIE TAYLOR:

That is fantastic. I think it is great that he has introduced this motion for us to talk about. It is good to have motions that every member can agree on and see the value in, and that is exactly what we are seeing in this place today. Landcare is so successful because it is generated by local community groups. As the Minister just said, local community groups in local areas, made up of local people who understand their environment and the differing things that may challenge them, are coming together to look after that land. It is wonderful. It fosters and encourages active participation, where everyone can be involved. It creates a platform where everyone can be a steward for the environment, no matter who they are or where they live. I say well done to the Hon. Bob Nanva, and I commend the motion to the House.

The Hon. PENNY SHARPE (Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Environment, and Minister for Heritage) (20:51:54):

Everybody loves Landcare because Landcare works. Landcare is about community and about bringing people of the land, the dunes, the coast and the bush together to do voluntary work to restore our environment. I reflect very briefly on some of the history of Landcare. It is often said that Bob Hawke really got Landcare going, and that is indeed true. That was after the dearly departed Rick Farley from the National Farmers' Federation and Phillip Toyne from the Australian Conservation Foundation spoke to Bob Hawke in 1989, and he agreed that it was time for Australia to invest in the type of work that Landcare does.

I also reflect on the little-known history, which is not repeated very often, of the two very important women who started Landcare and coined the name in 1986. That was, of course, the dearly departed Joan Kirner, who stood on the side of the river with her friend and colleague Heather Mitchell from the Victorian Farmers Federation. Although they coined the term in 1986, it took until 1989 for the boys to get on board and for Bob Hawke to come to the table. The point that I really want to make about Landcare is that in every corner of the State, once a week, people are toiling. They plant, share, grow seedlings, clean, get rid of weeds and join with the community to improve soil and water. It is genuinely a movement of enthusiasts, and long may they continue their work. Landcare is going through an evolution as a result of the investment that this Government has committed to, doubling its funding over the next four years. That will be absolutely life changing for the organisation.

Some of the volunteers are a bit older, and they really want to branch out now through a network of full‑time coordinators who can bring all of that volunteer energy and excitement to younger people in our communities, working closely with landholders no matter where they are. Landcare is worth every cent that we invest in it because we make much more out of it. The final point I make is that I am glad there is support across the Parliament for Landcare. That is extremely important, but I cannot let the debate go past without recognising that, before the last election, The Nationals, who profess to support Landcare, did not have one cent committed for its ongoing funding.

The Hon. WES FANG (20:54:45):

I contribute to debate having had some practical experience with Landcare. My parents had a property—probably not as big as the Hon. Bronnie Taylor's properties.

The Hon. Bronnie Taylor:

Do not ask me about that, thanks. Members opposite already have; it's all right.

The Hon. WES FANG:

I somewhat regret having made that reference. My parents had a block of land, and Dad called it his little oasis. It was on the side of a hill, so some erosion issues arose. I remember Dad was thinking about how we would tackle it, and someone suggested that we get in touch with Landcare. Sure enough, a team of volunteers turned up and worked miracles in the way that they approached the care of the property. Things like a lack of greenery in certain places were contributing to the erosion, and so they used their expertise and their knowledge to help my parents with that issue. So I have seen firsthand the work that is done by the amazing members of Landcare, and I think that it is quite right that the Parliament acknowledge that work and acknowledge Landcare Week.

Noting the contributions from members on all sides of this Chamber, it is quite important that we come together as a House and acknowledge that. Looking at some of the people who have served in Landcare and noting some of the earlier debates that happened today, it is important that some of the really strong women leaders in Landcare were recognised through any number of awards that were available to them. It just shines a light on why it is important to have awards for rural and regional women, and that might put in context some of the other issues that we have discussed today.

The Hon. RACHEL MERTON (20:57:52):

I support the motion of the Hon. Bob Nanva concerning the important role of Landcare in New South Wales. Landcare volunteers play a crucial role in protecting and enhancing the natural environment and agricultural lands. Those dedicated individuals, approximately 60,000 strong across 2,400 registered groups in New South Wales, deserve recognition for their remarkable achievements. The theme for 2023, "Be inspired, be empowered, be a landcarer", encapsulates the spirit and purpose of the Landcare movement. It aims to inspire and motivate individuals to engage in landcare activities, empowering them to make a positive difference in their communities and the environment.

The work of Landcare volunteers is invaluable in preserving the natural environment. They contribute to crucial activities that we have heard of tonight, such as preventing erosion, managing soil health, restoring habitats and protecting biodiversity. Their efforts have a direct impact on the resilience and sustainability of rural and regional communities across New South Wales. I have personally witnessed the incredible work of Landcare volunteers across Greater Western Sydney in the Winston Hills and Toongabbie Bushcare group. I have joined their efforts related to preserving Toongabbie Creek and surrounding bush care. In Wingecarribee, Berrima and Moss Vale there is an active Southern Highlands Landcare network.

Further afield, I have seen the work done by Landcare groups in the Central West. Their work to address erosion through the implementation of control measures such as revegetation, contour ploughing and the construction of retaining walls has been remarkable. They have effectively mitigated the damaging effects of erosion on the region's landscape and agricultural productivity. It is essential to acknowledge the tireless efforts of these volunteers. Their work has far-reaching consequences for the natural environment, agricultural lands and the broader community. Their contributions are vital in ensuring the sustainable management and conservation of our land and resources. I thank all our Landcare volunteers for their dedication, passion and commitment to be inspired, empowered and responsible. I commend the motion to the House.

The Hon. STEPHEN LAWRENCE (21:00:47):

I am very happy to speak in support of the motion and I commend the mover, the Hon. Bob Nanva. A lot of people are involved in Landcare in my home community of Dubbo, and I know how hard they work. The area of Dubbo around the Macquarie River, where I walk my dogs as often as I can, has been the beneficiary of a lot of work by the Dubbo Landcare group. I have seen dramatic improvement in so many ways over the 10 years or so that I have been using that particular part of Dubbo. There can be no doubt about the incredible work that Landcare does across the State. As I said, I have witnessed it in my home community.

Landcare is a movement that allows everyone who chooses to be actively involved in land management, improving biodiversity and promoting sustainable agriculture. The NSW Landcare Program empowers people to take action on local problems, delivers outcomes across local and regional issues and unlocks the potential of the extensive volunteer network and Landcare movement right across the State. We heard from earlier speakers about the $59 million commitment over the next four years to supercharge Landcare and Landcare activities in New South Wales. That is twice the funding of the previous Government and certainly something that the Labor Government is very proud of. It will see Local Land Services and Landcare NSW continue to work together to deliver the program across the State.

Local Land Services and Landcare NSW are working hard to design a new program to ensure that record funding best meets the needs of land carers to undertake on-ground work. Collaboration throughout the program design will ensure that work by Landcare and Local Land Services is coordinated to avoid duplication and that it aligns with relevant natural resource management plans. The additional funding will result in more local programs for more local communities that will care for our land and environment. Most importantly, perhaps—and this has been spoken of already—it will pave the way for 84 full-time equivalent local and regional Landcare Coordinator positions, which, under the current program, are only retained on a part-time basis.

Coordinators play an incredibly important role and do a lot of hard work. They enhance the capacity of Landcare groups and networks by sharing best practice, providing a professional resource that allows land carers to spend their valuable volunteer time delivering projects that enhance our natural environment. The change will give coordinators more time to do their jobs and will result in improved facilitation and delivery of on-ground projects.

The Hon. BOB NANVA (21:04:14):

In reply: I thank all members for their contributions to debate on the motion. The breadth of support for the motion in this House reinforces the point that Landcare truly is for everyone and it is a conduit for people from all backgrounds, persuasions and localities to care for their environment. It is quite fitting that an organisation built on alliances can bring such unity to this House. The contributions to debate reminded me of something Prime Minister Hawke said many years ago—and I  never miss an opportunity to quote the great man. He said:

It shows in a graphic way that the degradation of our environment is not simply a local problem, nor a problem for one State or another, nor for the Commonwealth alone. Rather, the damage being done to our environment is a problem for all of us—and not just governments—but all of us individually and together.

It was as true then as it is today. In that spirit, and with the goodwill that has been shown across the political spectrum, I think we should conclude this debate with the knowledge and acceptance that all members in this place have a responsibility to ensure that Landcare continues to receive the financial and operational support it needs now and well into the future.

The ASSISTANT PRESIDENT (The Hon. Peter Primrose):

The question is that the motion be agreed to.

Motion agreed to.

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