Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts
Announcement of $180 million to build the National Reserve System
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, the Hon. Peter Garrett MP
Namadgi National Park, ACT
31 March 2008
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I'm delighted to announce that the Rudd Government will invest 180 million dollars to help build the National Reserve System, our nationwide network of parks and reserves, over the next five years.
Today's announcement is a substantial investment to meet a massive challenge - building the resilience of our environment in the face of threats from climate change and helping giving Australia's unique plants and animals the best chance of survival.
But the benefits of reserves go beyond the environmental. By building the National Reserve System we are also helping to ensure the future of Australia's 81 billion dollar a year tourism industry.
I look at our amazing country, from beautiful bushland like this, to the Nullarbor Plain, to the swathes of tropical rainforest, to beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see, and I know our task is urgent.
Today and today's announcement is about protecting that rich natural heritage, investing in the future of our environment and our society, and that's what Caring for our Country is designed to do.
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