House of Assembly Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Friends of Parks and Nature Grants Program Friends of Parks and Nature Grants Program Ms THOMPSON House of Assembly Davenport Friends of Parks and Nature Grants Program Ms THOMPSON (Davenport) (14:51): My question is to the Deputy Premier. Can the Deputy Premier update the house on the Friends of Parks and Nature Grants Program? The Hon. S.E. CLOSE House of Assembly Port Adelaide Deputy Premier Minister for Climate, Environment and Water Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Minister for Workforce and Population Strategy Friends of Parks and Nature Grants Program The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Minister for Workforce and Population Strategy) (14:51): I am delighted to be asked this question by the member for Davenport and to run through, for the chamber's benefit, the latest grants program. Members may recall that, when we came into government, we had a commitment to spend $3 million over the term of the government to help Friends of Parks do good works in parks and in nature. They have recently changed their name to 'Friends of Parks and Nature', because so many of the friends groups are not actually attached to a park but to a dune and to other public areas. Before I run through a few of the examples of the really excellent grants that have been given out, I would point out that this isn't just about a bit of money being applied to a particular project, where that is what makes the project happen. The project happens because there are over 5,000 people who are members of these groups. There are 148 groups in Friends of Parks and Nature, and between them they are an enormous part of the success story of our national parks and our nature in public areas. We would not be able to do the good work that is done to protect and restore nature without them. There are some good examples. Most recently, we granted $779,000, which is the largest amount annually that has been provided for volunteer-led conservation activities in South Australia's history. Friends of Glenthorne, in the member for Davenport's area and very close, of course, to the member for Black's area—formerly in the seat of Black and now, delightfully, in the seat of Davenport—have got nearly $13,500 for managing the grassland project, which is largely about restoring grey box and other parts of the biodiversity there. The member for Waite would be pleased to know that Friends of Shepherds Hill Recreation Park have got nearly $15,000 for woody weed control. Friends of Blackwood Forest Recreation Park have got $15,000 for Minno Creek and East-West Creek refurbishment. I recently spent time with Friends of Blackwood Forest Recreation Park. It's where I grew up, and although I live a long way away now and am very proud to represent the seat of Port Adelaide, I have an abiding fondness for the Blackwood area. Friends of Belair National Park have also received $5,000 for small bulb weed control and $15,000 for rapid boneseed control. This control of weeds of course can sound a little tedious, a little dull, but is utterly essential. If you don't get on top of the weeds that have been introduced since Europeans arrived, it is almost impossible to be able to restore nature and to allow the native plants and animals to re-establish. Friends of Brownhill Creek have also received nearly $14,000 for on-ground woody weed control. In the seat of King, we have the Friends of Cobbler Creek Recreation Park, who have been very successful with $30,000 across two projects, one being the continuation of the containment of Coolatai, an invasive grass which is native to Africa, and olive control, and also for the development of a trail head area, Mai Tappa, which is about celebrating Kaurna culture and Kaurna use of food, particularly for textiles and for eating. It is worth pointing out that although many of the projects that I have described are about weed control and revegetation, it is also important to note that these Friends of Parks groups are very engaged in educating and bringing areas to life. Of course, the member for Newland will be pleased that $15,000 has gone into the Friends of Anstey Hill Recreation Park, again for woody weed control, which will help protect a heathwren habitat in Anstey Hill Recreation Park. These are a tribute to the success of our volunteers in our parks and in nature.