[Greens-Media] Greens back calls for National Wetlands Initiative

[Norton, Tim (Sen R. Siewert)]

Greens back calls for National Wetlands Initiative
Wednesday 15th October 2008
 
The Australian Greens welcomed the release today of the Wetlands for Our
Future report, and called on the Rudd Government to move quickly to
implement an National Wetlands Initiative.
 
"Many of Australia's unique and internationally recognised wetlands are
highly threatened," said Senator Rachel Siewert today. 
 
"With 80% of the wetlands within the Murray Darling Basin already lost
and the remaining few dying for a drink it is high time the Commonwealth
acted on its international commitments."
 
"The Australian government can immediately begin recovering water for
threatened wetlands by accelerating water purchases and setting key
targets and timelines for returning environmental water," said Senator
Siewert.
 
"We urgently need to review threats to key wetlands within the Murray
Darling Basin - including the Coorong, Chowilla Floodplain, Gwydir
Wetlands and the Macquarie Marshes - and list them as threatened on the
Montreux Register," she said.
 
"Management and recovery plans for Ramsar wetlands should become
statutory plans under the Commonwealth Water Act to stop them being
ignored and over-ridden," said Senator Siewert. 
 
"This needs to be backed up by provisions in the Act which ensure that
enough water is set aside to protect and maintain these sites in the
face of climate change."
 
"We should also establish a wetlands management fund so that private
water managers can help the Commonwealth meet its international
commitments to manage wetlands that are on private lands," she said.
 
"The recent decision on the Sugarloaf Pipeline has highlighted that the
EPBC Act also needs to be amended to ensure that any actions which will
have a significant impact on important freshwater areas or national
water resources is fully subject to assessment and approval."
 
"Our internationally-recognised wetlands are dying for a drink. Its time
the Rudd Government acted on their responsibilities for their care," she
concluded.
 
For more information or media enquiries please call Tim Norton on 0418
401 180
senator.siewert at aph.gov.au  |  www.rachelsiewert.org.au  |
www.greensmps.org.au