FIGHTING FOR OUR FORESTS
In September we held a very successful workshop at Margaret River, aimed at re-energising the battle to protect our forests.
The big turnout, consisting of seasoned campaigners and curious newcomers wanting to learn more about the future of our precious environment, discussed topics ranging from identification of High Conservation Value forests to organising campaigns to save them.
It connected a community of forest enthusiasts who spent much of the day brainstorming and coming up with strategies and ideas for future action.
I am happy to report that everyone went home invigorated with enthusiasm, vowing to maintain collaborative efforts to help protect WA forests.
We’ve taken on board all the suggestions and will be liaising with all participants on their follow-up efforts to spread the word about preserving our jarrah, karri and tuart trees.
We need to maintain our rage against the Government, which has ignored two big petitions to stop logging the forests. Keep an eye out for opportunities to get into the forest. As part of the campaign city dwellers will be encouraged and assisted to interact with the forest up close
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
Recently, to commemorate Op Shop Week (Sep 30 – Oct 7), I encouraged people to donate their unwanted clothes to charity, and to utilise their nearest op shops for their clothing needs.
We need to halt the growing throwaway culture for clothes which has resulted in fabrics filling landfill indefinitely, as they invariably take hundreds of years to break down, if ever.
Secondhand does not mean sacrificing style, and I’m proud to say that my family and I frequent op shops whenever and wherever we can.
MILKING HEMP POTENTIAL
I was delighted to be able to offer Members of the Legislative Council the opportunity to taste milk made from hemp during afternoon tea in Parliament.
Parliament recently passed legislation which allows the cultivation of hemp containing up to one per cent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the leaves, making it easier for registered farmers to grow the seed and plants, which they can sell into the food or fibre industries.
The hemp industry will likely expand quite significantly over the next few years. I’ll back calls on the Government to support the industry with research into the agricultural aspects and development of products and markets.
One of those products, hemp milk, is currently available in WA, manufactured locally in Victoria Park by the company Refresh Juice, whose proprietor Liam O’Neil provided the milk at Parliament House. It’s dairy-free, nut-free, contains omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids as well as all 10 essential amino acids, without any cholesterol.
I’m happy to report that most of my Parliamentary colleagues who sampled the milk gave it the thumbs up.
OTHER ISSUES
There were many other issues I looked at in the past few months, including the impact of AirBNB-type accommodation on tourism and housing in the regions, the increasing demand on clearing for new developments, the use of drum lines for sharks, and the on-going debate over the live sheep trade, for which a transition to a chilled meat industry is the answer.
My constituency stretches from Mandurah to Bremer Bay along WA’s South West coast, taking in the electoral regions of Mandurah, Dawesville, Murray-Wellington, Bunbury, Collie-Preston, Vasse, Warren-Blackwood and Albany.
It’s a pleasure to travel and meet people, listen to their concerns and help out where I can, and find out more about the varied and interesting things they do.
Summary of my activities
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| Events attended:
Nornalup Art Exhibition | Denmark High School class presentation | Parliamentarians Leadership course | Climate Change and Energy Public Discussion | Truffle Kerfuffle Manjimup | Germination Art Opening (Manjimup) | South West Environmental Snapshot | Dalyellup Library Opening | BCEC’s Focus on WA Report Exploring the Digital Divide in Western Australia | WALGA Conference | Soil Restoration Farming Seminar | Opening Shire of Manjimup State Timber Museum | Denmark Employment, Education and Training Expo & Evening Event | Homeless Week Couch Conversations (Margaret River) | Photo Exhibition – Year of Living Dangerously | Dying with Dignity Rally | New Economy for WA | Food and Health Event | Dowerin Field Day | WA Farmers Federation Dinner | National Threatened Species Day – Yagan Square Silent Protest | Reverse Education Cuts Rally | Diabetes Awareness Event | CCWA Projections at Parliament | Act Belong Commit Wearable Art Exhibition Opening | Hemp Growers Association Symposium | One Last Stand Rally | WA Farmers Federation General Section cocktail party |
Meetings and Briefings:
Great Southern Grammar School at Parliament | Aquinas School at Parliament | Friends of the Earth | Alcoa Rehabilitation Team | Allansons Primary School at Parliament | WA Beekeepers | Friends of Gelorup | REIWA | Hemp Milk producer Refresh Juice | Frederik Irwin Anglican School at Parliament | Bunbury Greens | WA Forest Alliance | Fire Re-ignition | Roadside Clearing in SW | Forest Management Plan | Food Security in Rural WA | Waste Water Treatment Plant and Drainage Issues | Foreign Buyers Duty | Softwood industry | GM regulations | Solar Battery Storage | The impact of harvesting trees, including jarrah and karri, on beekeepers in the south west | The future of the Australia–India economic relationship | The economic value of insect crop pollinators | Water Allocation Manjimup |
Interviews:
Live panel interview with ABC South West | Bunbury ABC Radio Questions Asked in Parliament: |
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