❓ Mr Britza asks about the progress of the Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary wetland construction. Mr Jacob confirms completion of the $3 million project, highlighting its nutrient-stripping capabilities and partnership with the City of Bayswater.
AnsweredQoN 840Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ERIC
SINGLETON BIRD SANCTUARY
840. Mr I.M. BRITZA to the
Minister for Environment:
Could the minister please update the house on the progress of
the construction of a wetland being established at the Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary
as part of the Liberal–National government's efforts to manage
nutrient flows into the Swan?
SINGLETON BIRD SANCTUARY
840. Mr I.M. BRITZA to the
Minister for Environment:
Could the minister please update the house on the progress of
the construction of a wetland being established at the Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary
as part of the Liberal–National government's efforts to manage
nutrient flows into the Swan?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Morley for the question and also for
inviting me to his electorate today to visit Lightning Swamp, which is another
wetland in this general area. I also met with John Williams, the president of
Friends of Lightning Swamp.
I am pleased to confirm for the house that the construction
of a new $3 million nutrient-stripping wetland at Eric Singleton reserve in the
City of Bayswater is now complete. The state government invested $1.2 million
into this new nutrient-stripping wetland in partnership with the City of
Bayswater, which contributed $1.8 million. I would like to thank the City of
Bayswater for its contribution and its partnership in helping to fulfil the
environmental vision for this area, which Eric Singleton himself held,
beginning in the 1970s, and also seeing it come to fruition. What the
ratepayers of the City of Bayswater get out of this project is the delivery of
an entirely rejuvenated green space. What the state government and the broader
state gets out of the Eric Singleton wetland is a wetland that performs a much
more important role on a broader ecosystem scale.
Ms S.F. McGurk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Fremantle!
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Nutrient-stripping wetlands are an effective and efficient tool in reducing
nutrient loads of those wetlands that feed into the Swan and Canning River
system, particularly —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Member for
Fremantle, I put you on notice. Members for Wanneroo and Geraldton, I call you
to order for the first time. There seems to be a lot of unrest in the ranks
over here. I suggest you quieten down.
Mr A.P. JACOB : I
say to the member for Bassendean, that it makes a huge difference. I will get
back to that.
Mr C.J. Tallentire :
How many kilos. What percentage is it?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Gosnells!
Mr A.P. JACOB : It
is a huge percentage. The member for Gosnells is incorrect.
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the second time. A quick answer
through the Chair, minister.
Mr A.P. JACOB : Mr
Speaker, they have no idea what they are talking about. I am happy to provide
members opposite with a briefing if they would ever like to understand more
about how these nutrient-stripping wetlands work. Of course it works only on
Bayswater Brook; it is built on Bayswater Brook. How is it going to work on Ellen
Brook if we build it on Bayswater Brook, member for Bassendean?
Mr D.J. Kelly : It
runs past my house, member. I know what it looks like.
The SPEAKER : That
is very interesting, member for Bassendean, but when I am standing up, I
suggest you do not explain where this brook runs. I want a quick answer through
the Chair.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Certainly, Mr Speaker. This wetland will strip around 40 tonnes per annum —
Ms L.L. Baker interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Maylands, you are not helping. I call you to order for the first
time.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Irrespective of our fertiliser regulations, which this government brought in,
this nutrient-stripping wetland will strip an enormous proportion of those
nutrients flowing through Bayswater Brook. We are doing both, member for
Maylands. This nutrient-stripping wetland will strip out 40 tonnes per annum of
sediment and rubbish.
Mr C.J. Tallentire :
It's not nitrogen or phosphorous, is it, minister? That's what
you're supposed to be stripping out.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Gosnells, I call you to order for the first time. Quick answer,
thank you.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
More significantly, it also strips out nitrogen and phosphorous!
Mr C.J. Tallentire :
It's not tonnes, is it?
The SPEAKER :
Order, member for Gosnells! I call you to order for the second time. Quick. You
have one minute.
Mr A.P. JACOB : In
addition, 1.3 tonnes of nitrogen per annum, which is around 30 per cent of the
target required for this brook, and a further 200 kilograms of phosphorous will
be stripped out. On top of that, 170 000 plants will be planted as part of
rejuvenating this green space. I acknowledge the Green Army volunteers who
contributed. My final point—this is very important—is that this
is real action on the ground and investment in the environment, but it is also
the delivery of yet another commitment of this government from the 2013
election in the environment portfolio.
inviting me to his electorate today to visit Lightning Swamp, which is another
wetland in this general area. I also met with John Williams, the president of
Friends of Lightning Swamp.
I am pleased to confirm for the house that the construction
of a new $3 million nutrient-stripping wetland at Eric Singleton reserve in the
City of Bayswater is now complete. The state government invested $1.2 million
into this new nutrient-stripping wetland in partnership with the City of
Bayswater, which contributed $1.8 million. I would like to thank the City of
Bayswater for its contribution and its partnership in helping to fulfil the
environmental vision for this area, which Eric Singleton himself held,
beginning in the 1970s, and also seeing it come to fruition. What the
ratepayers of the City of Bayswater get out of this project is the delivery of
an entirely rejuvenated green space. What the state government and the broader
state gets out of the Eric Singleton wetland is a wetland that performs a much
more important role on a broader ecosystem scale.
Ms S.F. McGurk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Fremantle!
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Nutrient-stripping wetlands are an effective and efficient tool in reducing
nutrient loads of those wetlands that feed into the Swan and Canning River
system, particularly —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Member for
Fremantle, I put you on notice. Members for Wanneroo and Geraldton, I call you
to order for the first time. There seems to be a lot of unrest in the ranks
over here. I suggest you quieten down.
Mr A.P. JACOB : I
say to the member for Bassendean, that it makes a huge difference. I will get
back to that.
Mr C.J. Tallentire :
How many kilos. What percentage is it?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Gosnells!
Mr A.P. JACOB : It
is a huge percentage. The member for Gosnells is incorrect.
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the second time. A quick answer
through the Chair, minister.
Mr A.P. JACOB : Mr
Speaker, they have no idea what they are talking about. I am happy to provide
members opposite with a briefing if they would ever like to understand more
about how these nutrient-stripping wetlands work. Of course it works only on
Bayswater Brook; it is built on Bayswater Brook. How is it going to work on Ellen
Brook if we build it on Bayswater Brook, member for Bassendean?
Mr D.J. Kelly : It
runs past my house, member. I know what it looks like.
The SPEAKER : That
is very interesting, member for Bassendean, but when I am standing up, I
suggest you do not explain where this brook runs. I want a quick answer through
the Chair.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Certainly, Mr Speaker. This wetland will strip around 40 tonnes per annum —
Ms L.L. Baker interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Maylands, you are not helping. I call you to order for the first
time.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
Irrespective of our fertiliser regulations, which this government brought in,
this nutrient-stripping wetland will strip an enormous proportion of those
nutrients flowing through Bayswater Brook. We are doing both, member for
Maylands. This nutrient-stripping wetland will strip out 40 tonnes per annum of
sediment and rubbish.
Mr C.J. Tallentire :
It's not nitrogen or phosphorous, is it, minister? That's what
you're supposed to be stripping out.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Gosnells, I call you to order for the first time. Quick answer,
thank you.
Mr A.P. JACOB :
More significantly, it also strips out nitrogen and phosphorous!
Mr C.J. Tallentire :
It's not tonnes, is it?
The SPEAKER :
Order, member for Gosnells! I call you to order for the second time. Quick. You
have one minute.
Mr A.P. JACOB : In
addition, 1.3 tonnes of nitrogen per annum, which is around 30 per cent of the
target required for this brook, and a further 200 kilograms of phosphorous will
be stripped out. On top of that, 170 000 plants will be planted as part of
rejuvenating this green space. I acknowledge the Green Army volunteers who
contributed. My final point—this is very important—is that this
is real action on the ground and investment in the environment, but it is also
the delivery of yet another commitment of this government from the 2013
election in the environment portfolio.
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