FEDERAL Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce said this Sunday individuals, families and volunteer groups will come together on Clean Up Australia Day to tackle waste and litter in the New England Electorate.

Mr Joyce said the Coalition Government’s funding of $300,000 over three years from the National Landcare Programme complements the generous donations of funding, time and effort by businesses, councils and community members who are supporting Clean Up Australia’s national campaign to reduce waste, remove litter and to improve the health of our environment.

“The people of the New England Electorate are passionate about protecting the local environment and making the town safe and clean for everyone to enjoy,” Mr Joyce said.

“This year we hope to see a lot of new faces joining forces to help clean up. It’s great to see so many young people getting involved,” he said.

Last year’s Clean Up Australia Day was a great success with more than 533,500 volunteers across Australia collecting over 13,708 tonnes of rubbish from cleanup sites across the country.

Minister for the Environment, Greg Hunt, said that protecting the natural environment, particularly waterways and marine environment, is an important priority for the Australian Government.

“This is a fantastic effort and it shows that by working together we can make a real difference to keep Australia clean,” Minister Hunt said.