Mr LINDSAY —My question is addressed to the Minister for Forestry and Conservation. Minister, would you inform the House how the Natural Heritage Trust is working to restore, enhance and protect the natural native environment, particularly in Townsville and Thuringowa and in electorates throughout Australia?

Mr TUCKEY (Forestry and Conservation; Minister Assisting the Prime Minister) —I thank the member for his question. It is interesting to note that, in my travels recently to announce various NHT grants, I announced $14 million for Tasmania. A very interesting point was just made that it was going elsewhere, but not one of the Labor members in Tasmania bothered at any time to make any representations to get that money for their constituents. When the Prime Minister first advised the Australian people of our intention to sell one-third of Telstra, he made another very significant promise, which was to use the proceeds for debt reduction—that is, the reduction of the huge fiscal debt accumulated by the previous government, and the debt contemporary Australia owed to the environment. That promised funding was initially $1 billion and now stands at $1.5 million following the Telstra 2 announcement.

One of the largest problems facing Australia today in the environmental area, and about which you, Mr Speaker, have issued constant warnings, is dryland and the associated waterway salinity. On 3 August 1999, Dr Harris of the CSIRO publicly estimated that the cost to overcome this problem over the years was in excess of $30 billion. It is a matter of statistical fact that this is almost exactly the sum of money this government has been obliged to spend in just four budgets to pay the interest on the Beazley borrowing binge. It is only this government which, in repaying that debt, is freeing up the funding needed to address many problems, including those associated with the environment. How people on that side of the House see the environment as a joke, I would like to know.

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr TUCKEY —Oh, yes; it is a joke to say things about the environment.

Mr SPEAKER —The minister has been doing a great job at addressing his remarks through the chair, and I would invite him to continue to do so.

Mr TUCKEY —Through announcements made by Senator Hill, Minister Truss, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Environment and Heritage, Dr Stone, and me, the government has recently announced funding for the third year of the Natural Heritage Trust program. Over $190 million in funding for over 2,700 projects throughout Australia has been announced so far for 1999-2000. By far the bulk of these funds will be spent in regional and rural Australia for obvious reasons.

Mr Crean —Largely in seats held by government members.

Mr TUCKEY —Yes, like the $14 million that went to Tasmania.

Mr SPEAKER —The minister will come to the question.

Mr TUCKEY —Last week I was present also in the electorate of Herbert, which is very ably represented by the member who asked this question, and in the adjoining electorates of Kennedy and Leichhardt to present certificates to the local community and the people they employee who will benefit from this round of funding. In the electorate of Herbert, a single grant of $164,400 will be provided for eight projects, which includes $7,000 to protect, repair and maintain the Serpentine Lagoon Wetland and $72,000 to enhance the biodiversity, habitat and connectivity between areas of high conservation value along the riparian areas of the Ross River. In the electorate of Leichhardt, $200,200 will be provided for six projects. This grant includes $36,000 to continue the implementation of the Trinity Inlet Freshwater Creeks Revegetation Strategy and $34,300 to establish a North Queensland farm forestry development committee, which has great prospects.

Ongoing funding of almost $400,000 was presented in Cooktown for research and the reduction of the feral pig population. We were informed while we were there that that population is estimated to be between two million and nine million animals. When you look at the insects, frogs and everything that that research has identified these animals are eating, you do not wonder why we have a reduction in those indigenous species. One pig, when captured and dissected, was found to have some 300 frogs in it.

The Natural Heritage Trust is the largest environmental rescue effort ever undertaken by an Australian government. This has been achieved through a partnership between the Commonwealth government, the states, local government and particularly community groups and individuals, who have contributed a vast effort in this regard. This is a program that gets people on the ground to identify the problems and to contribute personally with the aid of federal funding. It is certainly no joke, but it is another area of policy vacuum from those opposite.