Media release
24 June 2011
Federal Heritage Minister, Tony
Burke, today announced that the Gillard
Government would provide funding to help
identify, protect and share Australia's
Indigenous heritage.
Mr Burke said the Government
would provide more than $2.7 million for
36 Indigenous heritage projects that will
help community groups and individuals identify,
conserve and promote the heritage values
of places important to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people, across Australia.
"Indigenous history
and heritage occupies a special place in
our country's identity, and it is important
that we protect these cultural sites for
future generations," Mr Burke said.
Projects that have received
funding include:
The Sacred Sea Places of the Groote Archipelago
project (NT): funding to identify and record
sacred sites in sea country located in the
Groote Archipelago, relating to four dreaming
track stories and nine totemic figures.
Baiame's Ngunnhu Heritage Project (NSW):
funding to install bilingual interpretive
signage and continue the implementation
of a Conservation Heritage Management Plan
for the National Heritage Listed fish traps
at Brewarrina, including maintaining the
riverbank and controlling weed infestation.
Wongatha Keeping Place (WA): funding to
enable Wongatha elders to establish a keeping
place for sacred objects at Morapoi Station
in the Goldfields Region of WA.
Bunya Mountains Assessment
for Aboriginal Cultural Values Project (Qld):
funding to record the Indigenous heritage
values of the Bunya Mountains in south-east
Queensland.
The Apara Springs Fencing
Project (SA): funding to construct a fence
to protect the Apara Springs, an important
cultural site located in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara
Yankunytjatjara lands, north-west SA, from
damage by feral animals.
The Devilbend Natural
Feature Reserve - Conservation of Aboriginal
Cultural Places Project (Vic): funding to
undertake conservation works at four Aboriginal
cultural sites in the reserve, on the Mornington
Peninsula.
"This funding is
an important step to help us protect, preserve
and promote Indigenous heritage," Mr
Burke said
Funding for these projects
was provided from the Indigenous Heritage
Program, part of the Government's commitment
to Closing the Gap on Indigenous disadvantage
by contributing to the overall well-being
of Indigenous communities and supporting
employment opportunities for Indigenous
Australians.
+ More
Southern suburbs tap
into recycled water
Media release
27 June 2011
Residents in Adelaide’s south will now use
high-quality recycled water in and around
their properties following the completion
of the $62.6 million Southern Urban Reuse
Project.
The innovative project has the capacity
to provide up to 1.6 billion litres of recycled
water each year to about 8000 new homes
in the southern suburbs.
Minister for Water, Paul Caica, Parliamentary
Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water,
Senator Don Farrell, and Federal MP for
Kingston, Amanda Rishworth, today visited
Seaford Meadows where recycled water has
been plumbed into more than 500 houses for
purposes such as toilet flushing and garden
watering.
The State Government provided $47.6 million
towards the project as part of the Water
Proofing the South initiative and the Federal
Government contributed $15 million as part
of its $34.5 million contribution to Water
Proofing the South.
Mr Caica said the use of recycled water
in new homes for toilet flushing and irrigation
will reduce reliance on mains water and
utilise an alternate water source.
"The completion of the Southern Urban
Reuse Project will help to increase Adelaide’s
water security by conserving drinking water
supplies and using a water source which
would have otherwise been treated and discharged
to the sea," he said.
"Years of drought conditions have taught
us that we need to value every drop of water
and this project is one way we can do just
that.
"South Australia is one of the nation’s
leaders when it comes to recycling water
and this is a reputation we are eager to
build on. Adelaide is one of Australia’s
leading capital cities in water recycling
with SA Water recycling about 30 per cent
of wastewater, compared to the national
average of about 17 per cent."
Senator Farrell said Seaford Meadows is
the first residential development supplied
with recycled water as part of the Southern
Urban Reuse Project and its benefits will
include helping householders keep their
gardens green, even during hot, dry summers.
"Recycled water projects such as this
are beneficial to our community, State and
the environment," he said.
"By providing up to 1.6 billion litres
of high-quality recycled water to homes
we are utilising an existing water source
and increasing the amount of recycled water
South Australia uses.
"The project, which began in April
2009, included upgrades to existing infrastructure
and construction of new infrastructure at
SA Water’s Christies Beach and Aldinga wastewater
treatment plants to enable Seaford Meadows
properties to access recycled water.
"Reuse water from the Christies Beach
Wastewater Treatment Plant is transferred
to the Aldinga Wastewater Treatment Plant
site. From here, the treated wastewater
is stored and further treated before being
piped to local homes in the area."
Construction works for the project included:
A new pump station at the Christies Beach
Wastewater Treatment Plant to transfer the
water to the Aldinga WWTP site
A transfer pipeline from Christies Beach
WWTP to the Aldinga WWTP site
Construction of a bulk water storage at
the Aldinga site
Construction of a tertiary water treatment
process at the Aldinga site and;
Construction of a pumping station and a
dual reticulation (purple) pipeline from
Aldinga to the Seaford Meadows urban development.
Minister for the Southern Suburbs and local
member John Hill also welcomed the announcement,
saying it formed an important part of the
Water Proofing the South project.
"As part of our Water for Good plan
the State Government is committed to Water
Proofing the South – a localised integrated
water resource management strategy based
entirely in the City of Onkaparinga,’’ he
said.
Ms Rishworth said it was pleasing to see
that more than 500 properties in Seaford
Meadows are now connected to the SURP scheme
and looked forward to more houses coming
on line as they are built.
"This project is a good example of
governments working together to help find
sustainable ways of ensuring South Australia’s
water security,’’ she said.
