[Greens-Media] Greens rally for the river that needs a drink before Christmas

[Clark, Gemma (Sen S. Hanson-Young)]

Friday 1 August 2008

Greens rally for the river that needs a drink before Christmas

Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young today reiterated the
Greens' call for immediate action to avert the Murray-Darling
catastrophe, at the Rally for the River on the steps of Parliament House
in Adelaide.

Senator Hanson-Young said, "The Australian Greens have been campaigning
about the plight of the Murray for years. We've been speaking to the
local communities along the river from Goolwa right up to Queensland; we
have moved parliamentary motions for urgent action and put forward
necessary amendments to the Federal Government's Water Bill. But it is
now crunch time.  

"We know, the scientists keep telling us, we only have until October
this year to make an impact on saving the river, by getting new water
released into the river system immediately. 

"What is the Government doing now to make sure we save the Murray? Yes,
it's buying some water and investing in some infrastructure, but there
is no immediate plan for new water to be released further upstream to
help the dying Lakes and Coorong. 

"All the Government has is a plan for a plan; a plan that won't take
effect until 2019, when it's hoping that the states governments will
have brought their water sharing plans into line with the sustainable
cap. 

"That means we will have a lovely plan, but the river will be dead. By
2019, the Coorong will be gone, and so too may the communities along the
lower river areas.

"The reality is, unless we can curb water use and put sustainable
measures into place in the extremely near future, we are going to be
watching the river die."

Senator Hanson-Young said the ailing river is now in the Prime
Minister's hands. "Kevin Rudd must step up and take charge of the
situation. He promised his leadership would see the states come together
for the health of the river and this still hasn't happened. 

The Greens are demanding an urgently implemented "sustainable water
sharing regime", to guarantee the Murray-Darling a basic level of
maintenance water to keep the system alive.  

"To do this we need the Federal Government to step in and secure the
release of water stored in the Menindee Lakes, and to purchase some of
the water in major storages in northern NSW," explained Senator
Hanson-Young.  

"This is a national catastrophe - and any government who is prepared to
sit back and hide behind the bureaucracy of endless planning and
toothless agreements is irresponsible and negligent," she continued. 

"Kevin Rudd must do this now. The Murray needs a drink by Christmas -
any later, and the Coorong will be gone."

For further information please call Gemma Clark on 0427 604 760