MR PALLAS (Werribee—Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Trade) (09:35):

I rise to acknowledge to the house the great work of my community and environmental activists of the Werribee River Association. The Werribee River, or Weariby Yallock as the Wadawurrung people named it, is a truly beautiful waterway that travels through my electorate and on to neighbouring suburbs in the western region. The Werribee River is special to the local community and is home to much unique wildlife and biodiversity. Local families enjoy picnics, ride their bikes and walk their dogs along the river, and I know from my interactions with constituents that people truly appreciate having access to such a wonderful natural space in their backyard.

The Werribee River Association for the past 40 years have volunteered time and effort in caring for the river and its surrounds. From tree planting to crucial clean-up projects and policy advocacy, the volunteers of the association have truly given their all and have inspired others young and old to follow in their footsteps along the way. It truly was an honour to recently join the volunteers to mark their 40-year milestone and to celebrate the launch of their history book Werribee River Association: 40 Years of Waterways Protection. It is fantastic that there is now a book which formally recognises these many decades of work. Thank you to John Forrester, Lisa Field, Meghan Hopper and all the volunteers, past and present, for your passionate commitment.