Media Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
NEW BASIN PLAN WASTES WATER
The Murray Darling Basin Authority Guide to the Basin Plan released on Friday was
slammed as an audacious grab for water with little benefit to the environment while
condemning communities in the basin to a bleak future.
“The plan to take a minimum of 3000 gigalitres extra for the environment will see
2000 gigalitres consigned to the Lower Lakes propping up a man-made artificial
environment” said Max Rheese, executive director of the Australian Environment
Foundation.
“The barrages should be opened to return the lakes to a natural environment.
“Ignoring the history of the lower lakes
while putting Living Murray Icon sites
upstream such as the Barmah-Millewa forests at risk through choosing between the
two, as suggested by MDBA CEO Rob Freeman on Friday, is a poor environmental
outcome” said Mr Rheese.
Barrages between the Lower Lakes and the Coorong have maintained an artificial
level of fresh water that local communities have utilised, but with decreased Murray
River flows the ecology of the lakes has changed.
The Australian Environment Foundation pointed
to last week’s breaching of the
barrages in the Lower Lakes, because of increased natural flow events, as evidence
of the natural variability of Basin Rivers.
“In an ideal world more water at the Murray mouth would be applauded by all” said
Mr Rheese
“but depriving the Macquarie Marshes, the Barmah forest and wetlands
along the Murrumbidgee of environmental flows is not the right choice to make.
“If current inflows are accepted as the benchmark for the future then flows to the
Lower Lakes should be prioritised below sustaining upstream communities, food
production and natural environment sites.
“The present government were happy to accept expert advice that the Murray River
required 1500 gigalitres of extra water and many saw that as achievable with some
reform. This new Basin Plan is simply not reasonably achievable” concluded Mr
Rheese.
-
ENDS –
The Murray: A fresh perspective
Media Contact: Max Rheese 0428 621320
The Australian Environment Foundation (AEF) is a not-for-profit, membership-based
environment organisation having no political affiliation. The AEF is a different kind of
environment group, caring for both Australia & Australians. Many of our members
are practical environmentalists –
people who actively use and also care for the
environment. We accept that environmental protection and sustainable resource use
are generally compatible. For more information about the AEF visit www.aefweb.info
October 11th 2010
NEWS 
