World Environment Day

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (15:05): My question is to the Minister for Water and the River Murray. Will the minister inform the house about how World Environment Day was celebrated locally and outline some examples of local communities protecting one of our most precious natural assets?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (15:05): I thank the honourable member for her most important question. Sunday 5 June was World Environment Day, the United Nations' most important day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of our environment. Since it began in 1974, it has grown to become a global event celebrated in, I am advised, over 100 countries.

World Environment Day shows us that every action can count and that by bundling all this energy and activity of individuals together we can generate real, positive impacts on the environment. Above all, World Environment Day is also known as 'the people's day' for doing something to take care of the earth and become an agent of change.

I was pleased to spend World Environment Day attending two important initiatives. Firstly, I joined local community members at Wyndgate on Hindmarsh Island for the final round of winter planting in the Coorong Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth Recovery Project. It is a very special part of the state. I was joined there by—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: Wasn't the Liberal member for Hammond down there with you?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: I was just about to say that I was joined there by Mr Adrian Pederick, the Liberal member for the local seat. If the Hon. Mr Ridgway wants to complete the reply to my government question—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Perhaps he would, but he wouldn't do it anywhere near as well as I would, Mr President, but he does need the practice, I suppose. If the Hon. Mr Ridgway would like, I can invite him next time, but I can assure him that Mr Adrian Pederick and I got on famously and posed for several photographs together.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: It was actually tree love that day—and shrub love and groundcover love. There was a lot of love to spread around at Wyndgate. From an environmental point of view, the diversity of the wetlands, the species that they support and the unique role within the Murray-Darling Basin make this site both locally and internationally important. What makes this region very special is the local community: the traditional owners, local residents, community groups and business owners who, over the past five years, have rolled up their sleeves to help restore the health of these very important wetlands.

This final round involves around, I am advised, 160,000 native plants going into the ground, and on Sunday 5 June alone, 4,000 seedlings were planted. It was great to see so many dedicated volunteers braving the weather to attend. It was particularly great to see so many children there learning about and appreciating environmental issues. Once this final round is complete, I am advised, over 4.5 million seedlings will have been planted since the program began, covering an area of over 2,000 hectares, roughly the size equivalent of around 1,000 Adelaide Ovals, and their ultimate aim is to plant five million seedlings.

Over the course of the project, more than 13,000 community volunteers and 50 local organisations have volunteered what someone has calculated to be a quite staggering 75,000 volunteer hours. It is an incredible and impressive effort. Another impressive effort is the work that goes into the biannual Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, an exciting event that combines innovation and creativity with a broader environmental message. It has therefore become a bit of a tradition, I am told, for the dates and key rule changes for the following year's challenge to be announced on World Environment Day. The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge will celebrate its 30^th anniversary in 2017. It is anticipated to attract up to 50 teams from 25 countries, who are set to race the 3,000 kilometres from Darwin to Adelaide.

It continues to engage a global community of some 25 million people, I am advised, the world's most prestigious universities, industry, media, communities and entrepreneurs, all pushing the boundaries to develop alternatives to conventional motor vehicles and advance solar technology. It is very exciting to have new teams come from South Australia to participate in this challenge. I understand now that Adelaide and Flinders universities and TAFE SA will be participating in the next challenge, and I am certain that they will play a very important role in the future of our sustainable energy industries.

I also thank Bridgestone and all the other sponsors for the solar challenge. Bridgestone will, once again, take on the role as a name sponsor for the event. I take this opportunity to congratulate all the volunteers involved in Sunday's World Environment Day events right around the state, volunteers who were involved in the planting efforts in which Adrian Pederick, the member for Hammond, and I participated on Sunday, all the residents, groups and businesses that have dedicated their time and energy over the years. These are just two examples of the great work that has been happening around our state. They are two examples of events that were on on Sunday—I am sure other honourable members in the chamber participated in some more locally. I thank everyone involved for making a very real difference.