My question is to the Minister for Environment. Can the minister advise how the Victorian government supports the role of community-based environmental stewards like the Darebin Creek Management Committee in caring for public land? The Darebin Creek parkland was once a quarried, degraded landscape. It is now a treasured urban ecosystem, driven by over 50 years of work and advocacy by the local not-for-profit DCMC. They have restored land, revived habitat, engaged schools, partnered with traditional custodians and brought generations of volunteers into the work of caring for, connecting with and protecting this precious environment. Their impact is profound. Labor invests in this kind of care through the Healthy Waterways Strategy 2018, the suburban parks program and grassroots environmental restoration. Locally I have joined community members planting trees, improving trails and supporting creek health initiatives. Now, as council reviews future land management, there is a real concern that this trusted community model could be replaced by private contractors. That would be a disaster for the creek and parklands.
