[Greens-Media] Hanson-Young: Greens launch Lower Lakes and Coorong action plan

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

Friday 28 August 2009

Greens launch Lower Lakes and Coorong action plan

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young today launched the Greens' action plan
to rescue South Australia's Lower Lakes and Coorong, saying the federal
Water and Environment Ministers have a responsibility to save the Murray
from its mouth up.

"Since I entered the parliament last year as South Australia's first
Greens senator, I've been consulting extensively with people in the
Lower Lakes and Coorong area to learn from their expertise and
understand what these communities are crying out for," said Senator
Hanson-Young.

"Locals living with the reality of the crisis in the Lakes and Coorong
every day are sick and tired of being spoken at, not spoken with.

"Community consultation should be an ongoing, genuine process that takes
place with good faith on both sides."

The Greens' action plan, which also draws on the evidence heard during
the Senate Inquiry into water management in the Lower Lakes and Coorong
established by Senator Hanson-Young last August, includes:

- a comprehensive Commonwealth takeover of the Murray-Darling Basin so
it is governed as a whole
- an independent national authority for the river system, with the teeth
to enforce decisions made in the interests of all water users, including
the river system itself
- securing and delivering 300 gigalitres of freshwater as environmental
flows for the Lower Lakes annually
- bioremediation - mulching and planting of native grasses on acid
sulphate soil hotspots
- pumping hypersaline water out of the southern lagoon of the Coorong
- investment in and utilisation of stormwater harvesting and water
efficiency measures, to wean Adelaide off its dependence on the Murray.

"The Greens have listened, and come up with this action plan which will
underscore my work in the Senate to achieve a freshwater solution for
the Lower Lakes and Coorong," said Senator Hanson-Young.

"Despite the rhetoric from both the state and federal Labor governments,
neither has put forward plans including concrete commitments or actions
towards a freshwater solution.

"It is the responsibility of the Federal Government to make sure that
our internationally important and locally treasured wetlands are
protected for the enjoyment, use and wonder of generations to come."

A hard copy of the Greens' 'Rescuing South Australia's Lower Lakes and
Coorong' leaflet, including a 'The Coorong can't wait' poster, is
available upon request: gemma.clark at aph.gov.au

Media contact: Gemma Clark on 0427 604 760