By Benjamin Millar
Federal dollars could soon be flowing into the restoration of heavily contaminated Stony Creek under a Labor funds pledge.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and environment and water spokesman Tony Burke visited Footscray last week to promise a $200 million Labor government investment in cleaning up urban waterways.
Gellibrand MP Tim Watts said his local priority was ensuring funding for Stony Creek which was devastated by chemical run-off from last year’s Tottenham warehouse fire.
He is urging people to sign an online petition calling for Stony Creek to be made a “priority urban river”, which would pave the way for community groups, including Friends of Stony Creek and Friends of Cruickshank Park, to access funding.
“We have been trying to put community groups at the heart of this,” Mr Watts said.
“They are the ones doing the hard work over decades.”
Funding could be provided for projects such as revegetation and tree planting along waterway corridors, waste capture and education programs.
Mr Watts said federal governments needed to play a bigger role in shaping the development of cities and putting more money into waterways and the environment.
As well as pushing for Stony Creek to be considered, Mr Watts would also like to see funds to improve the health of the Maribyrnong River and its tributaries.
He said Labor would work to have its priority waterways decided by the time of the election, allowing funds to flow soon after should the Labor Party form government.
Find the petition at tonyburke.com.au/victoria/stony-creek
