Media Release Tuesday 5 August 2014

Today Shadow Minister for Environment and Member for Brindabella Nicole Lawder will present a petition to the Legislative Assembly calling on the ACT Labor government to get on with building the Tuggeranong Wetlands as promised in the Labor/Greens agreement.

"The delay in the clean-up of Lake Tuggeranong and development of the Tuggeranong Wetlands is placing a huge onus on community organisations which are forced to deal with poor amenity around the lake. For years the lake has suffered from outbreaks of blue green algae, thereby restricting its use," Ms Lawder said today.

"Simon Corbell cannot make the excuse that he is bound by an agreement he signed with the federal government to provide two years of water testing before Commonwealth funding is released. If he really cared, he would make sure the project would go ahead.

"The government is more than happy to spend more than $600 million on light rail but isn't prepared to improve the amenity of Lake Tuggeranong, which unlike light rail has the support of thousands of concerned Canberrans.

"The 'Tuggeranong Lake Carers' group is to be commended for organising the petition and I'm more than happy to raise their concerns in the Assembly. Simon Corbell is lagging behind and it isn't acceptable," Ms Lawder concluded.

Contact: Joe Prevedello 0402 768 432