Media Release – Basin Authority are wasting our time
This week the Murray-Darling Basin Authority will convene a highly polished two day consultation about the 10 year Basin Plan and Water Act review. The event is in Sydney, and many community members will make their way at personal expense.
There are a short list of very important areas that these reviews must, under the Act, look at. They are:
- Wetland health as migratory bird habitat
- That we have an environmentally sustainable level of water take
- If the rights of Indigenous people are met
- How can climate change impacts be accounted for in the level of water take
- Is the data and water accounting systems used to manage the rivers up to standard
With the Coorong Lakes and the Macquarie Marshes both recently listed as critically endangered and endangered under federal law this year, how the matters above are dealt in the next 10 years will determine the future of these incredible places.
However, agenda for the shiny, expensive, tightly handled Sydney event will barely brush over most of those areas, with most time allocated to topics that are (while very interesting) not even in the remit of the Authority to do anything about. What a clear manipulation and complete waste of our time.
The evidence is clear – as is the community’s lived experience – MORE WATER MUST BE RETURNED TO THE RIVERS FROM IRRIGATION. Which is why it is so outrageous that the CEO of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority is on the record saying that we have moved beyond water recovery, and for those sentiments to be present in materials for the lavish consultation. It is not his decision.
Healthy Rivers Dubbo 