I welcome the establishment today of an Australian Government wildlife reserve in honour of the life and environmental work of Steve Irwin.
I know Terri Irwin has worked tirelessly to make the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve a reality, and I am proud that my Government could help achieve her dream.
The reserve protects more than 135,000 hectares of high conservation value bushland on Queensland's Cape York, and was established with more than $6 million from the Australian Government's National Reserve System Program.
It is an important addition to Australia's National Reserve System, and is a fitting tribute to a passionate environmentalist and a great Australian.
The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve is the 301st property my Government has helped add to the National Reserve System, and it builds on our significant progress to date.
Under my Government's stewardship, Australia's network of protected areas has grown by more than 40 per cent. Reserves now cover more than 11 per cent of the Australian continent, protecting more than 88 million hectares of our most distinctive and fragile landscapes.