Today I acknowledge the Cooks River Alliance and its successful Cooks River Catchment Congress. The congress brought together local councils, representatives of community groups and environmental experts to chart the future of the Cooks River. The congress began with a welcome to country by Nathan Moran from the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council and featured keynote speeches from Professor Tony Wong, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities, Rod Simpson from the Greater Sydney Commission, and Professor Bruce Thom from the NSW Coastal Council.

The congress builds on the work of the Cooks River Alliance in developing a people's plan for the river and advocating for a dedicated Coastal Zone and Estuary Management Plan. I congratulate the Alliance as well as the constituent councils for their visionary work for our river. I especially acknowledge all the local community groups in my electorate, such as the Mudcrabs, who volunteer countless hours to restoring the river's health. I support you in your ongoing work.