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Greens-Media: Rivers will die unless laws change |
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From: |
"Paul Sheridan" <> |
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Date: |
Wed, 19 May 2004 16:14:46 +1000 |
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Media Release 19 May,
2004
Rivers will die unless laws change
Unless the Carr Government uses new laws, due to reach parliament in June, to
guarantee rivers such as the Hawkesbury-Nepean enough water to keep them
healthy, river systems will die and water quality will continue to decline,
Greens MLC Ian Cohen said today.
"Permanent water restrictions will not be enough to save our rivers. Unless the
government grabs a historic opportunity to guarantee rivers enough water to
flow naturally, it could be a death sentence for our river systems.
"Iconic rivers, such as the Murrumbidgee, the Murray-Darling and the
Hawkesbury-Nepean, are all suffering the effects of salinity, wetland draining,
massive extraction for irrigation, and pollution - and the economic impacts are
staggering."
Mr Cohen said the government's proposed changes to the Water Management Act,
due to be debated in parliament in early June, must include an increase in the
amount of water set aside for the health of rivers if future problems are to be
avoided.
"The Hawkesbury-Nepean River Management Forum has said what many in the bush
already know: there will be no future for our rivers unless we let them flow.
Mr Cohen said the frequency and size of harmful algal blooms would increase
unless environmental flows are increased in river systems.
"Algal blooms in dams cost farmers more than $30 million per year, and in
rivers, storage and irrigation channels about $15 million per year. This will
only increase unless we act now to protect the health of river systems.
"The Carr Government's key challenge last term was to see that rivers received
enough water to ensure their survival. Despite receiving millions of dollars
from the Federal Government, it delivered less than one per cent additional
environmental flows.
"Getting environmental flows back into our rivers is a necessity if we want to
try and reverse some of this damage, and if we want to avoid a massive repair
bill."
Further Information: Paul Sheridan, 0410 516 656
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