2015-11-24
Ms Dunn - My constituency question is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. Many of my constituents and a local community group from the suburb of Montmorency, about 20 kilometres north-east of Melbourne, are concerned about the decline of sugar gliders in the area. Once abundant through the suburb, the sugar glider is a small possum which glides through the air from tree to tree, up to a distance of 50 metres. Montmorency is a beautiful area on the fringe of Melbourne which once boasted a great deal of native vegetation and wildlife. But as the large old trees make way for residential and industrial developments there are fewer and fewer trees. This has had an impact on sugar gliders as it means they cannot glide from tree to tree to forage, nest and mate. The Labor government has committed to an upgrade of Bolton Street, which is a significant part of the sugar glider range. Can the minister advise if the Bolton Street upgrade will result in the loss of any habitat, and if so, how this will be offset? In relation to the movement of arboreal animals, will the minister consider the construction of rope bridges, which are a proven and effective way for wildlife — —
The Deputy President - Order! The member's time has expired.