By Tate Papworth
Much-needed funding could soon be flowing into restoring contaminated waterways.
The federal Opposition has promised a $200 million investment in cleaning up urban waterways, including Maribyrnong River catchments and tributaries, as well as Jackson’s Creek, Deep Creek and Steele Creek.
An online petition to help make waterways priorities is available to sign, opening up the way for community groups to seek access to funding under Labor’s pledge.
Funding will be available for building wetlands to capture, clean and filter stormwater; revegetation and tree planting along corridors; and employment of indigenous rangers.
Funding will also be available for citizen science and education programs along creeks and corridors; and turning urban waterways back to creeks and rivers.
Opposition leader and Maribyrnong MP Bill Shorten and Opposition environment and water spokesman Tony Burke visited Footscray last month to make the pledge.
Gellibrand MP Tim Watts said restoration work would be driven by the community.
“We have been trying to put community groups at the heart of this,” Mr Watts said. “They are the ones doing the hard work over decades.”
