Michael Sukkar MP

Clean Up Australia Day 2016

Michael Sukkar, Federal Member for Deakin, today acknowledged the hard work of those local residents who turned out for this year’s Clean Up Australia Day.

Scores of environmentally conscious local residents converged on the many parks, nature reserves, and waterways across the electorate of Deakin to remove debris and rubbish, which ruin the habitat and ecosystems of local flora and fauna.

Speaking at the Heatherdale Creek Parklands, Michael said the work of local volunteers on Clean Up Australia Day is invaluable.

“I take my hat off to the dozens and dozens of people who have turned up on their spare Sunday to get dirty and spend their time cleaning up our local parks, reserves and waterways,” Michael said.

“Sometimes the rubbish we find is a result of illegal dumping, but it’s also people’s litter that accumulates in areas after rain or wind, which then finds their way into our local environment.

“Unfortunately, some people take very little pride in keeping our local streets and neighbourhoods clear of waste and rubbish, but today’s volunteers are a great example of the strong community spirit and pride that exists in Deakin.”

Michael also publicly acknowledged the immense effort of the Green Army at Heatherdale Creek, which has spent the last six months clearing and revegetating the riparian creek and its surrounds.

“The Green Army managed to remove 4 tonnes of noxious weeds and plant around 6,500 native and indigenous plants along the Heatherdale Creek corridor. They have revitalised this great local natural asset, which is enjoyed by residents every day,” Michael said.

Last year’s Clean Up Australia Day was a great success with more than 533,500 volunteers across Australia collecting over 13,708 tonnes of rubbish from clean-up sites across the country.

The Australian Government supports the fantastic work done by the Clean Up Australia campaign with $300,000 over three years in funding from our National Landcare Programme.