16 April 2014

Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor has congratulated the Upper Lachlan Catchment Coordinating Committee on securing Green Army funding for its Tussock Tamers in Action project.

Meeting with Committee Chair Nerida Croker and Landcare representative Mary Bonet recently, Mr Taylor said the funding would allow a team of up to nine young people and a team supervisor to be employed for up to 26 weeks to help remove tussocks.

“Tussock Tamers has had great success already in the Upper Lachlan and importantly this funding will continue the program,” he said. “By the end of last year, more than 300 people in the Upper Lachlan Catchment and surrounding areas had joined Tussock Tamers, with 180 developing integrated weed management plans for their properties – covering 50,000 hectares. Workshops and field days will be starting up again in late May to extend the program to the Abercrombie River Catchment.

“Serrated tussock is incredibly invasive and has the potential to infest entire properties. I congratulate the Catchment Coordinating Committee on the great work it’s done to establish a broader community approach.”

Mr Taylor said Tussock Tamers was one of five Green Army projects already approved for Hume, however the Government was also welcoming applications for further project proposals in the current round.

“This is part of a wider Coalition commitment to supply a Green Army of up to 15,000 young people to tackle environmental issues in their local communities.”

He said applications for further proposals opened on Monday 14 April and will close Friday 9 May 2014. To be eligible, projects must be ready to commence between 1 July 2014 and 30 June 2015. Project guidelines and information are available at: www.environment.gov.au/green-army

Caption: Upper Lachlan Catchment Coordinating Committee Chair Nerida Croker welcomes Green Army funding from Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor to continue Tussock Tamers work.