[Greens-Media] Minister still sits on essential report. Gnangara Mound groundwater levels at second lowest ever.

[Richards, Kirsten]

Alison Xamon, Greens Spokesperson for Water today called for Minister for Water, Dr Graham Jacobs, to immediately release the final report of the Gnangara Sustainability Strategy.

"Public submissions were called for in the middle of the year, due by the end of August, with the final document to be released in November 2009.

"The Summer of 2009-10 was the driest ever according to the Bureau of Meteorology and we have seen a massive spike in water consumption as a result.  Minister Jacobs is sitting on this report and doing nothing to protect the water resource," Ms Xamon said.

"This Gnangara Sustainability Strategy has been underway for more than two years.  We have spent a large amount of money on many diverse studies.  The Minister has little reason to be dragging his heels on this.

The Gnangara Mound is the single most important source of drinking water for Perth and the Integrated Water Supply Scheme.  It supports many diverse wetlands habitats, including the fragile Yanchep National Park cave ecosystems.  Many rare and endangered plants and animals including the rare Carnaby's White-Tailed Black Cockatoo are dependent on the Banksia bushland.  Banksia bushland has been shown to be particularly vulnerable to rapid drawdown of groundwater.

"The analysis of public submissions has been done, public submissions have been critiqued, adopted or noted. The final report should clearly state how the Minister is going to manage WA's water resources into the future," Ms Xamon said.

"His failure to act over Summer is a clear message to water users to continue to mine the aquifer of water.  His lack of leadership is driving environmental disaster."