9 August
2006 - The Australian Government is working in
partnership with Greening Australia, corporate
sponsors, including Alcoa, and catchment management
authorities to rehabilitate nine of Australia's
icon rivers.
The Ministers for Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry, Peter McGauran, and the
Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell,
today officially launched the 10-year national
River Recovery programme at Parliament House,
Canberra.
River Recovery will coordinate
rehabilitation activities along the Yarra (Victoria),
Hawkesbury/Nepean (NSW), Boorowa (ACT /NSW), Derwent
(Tasmania), Lower Murray (South Australia), Burdekin
(Queensland), Hutt (Western Australia), Coliban
(Northern Territory) and Katherine (Northern Territory).
Senator Campbell said programmes that promoted
on-the-ground action and community support, like
River Recovery, complemented the objectives of
the National Water Initiative (NWI).
"The NWI represents a landmark
agreement as it is the first time all stakeholders
have agreed a framework to meet the objectives
of consumptive use and the needs of the environment,"
Senator Campbell said.
"Specifically, parties
to the agreement have committed to return over-allocated
systems to environmentally sustainable levels
of extraction and protect Australia's high-conservation
value aquatic ecosystems."
Mr McGauran described River
Recovery as a perfect example of a successful
national partnership between governments, a non-government
organisation, the private sector and communities.
"The Australian Government
has provided $2.9 million for River Recovery through
our Natural Heritage Trust, $600,000 from the
National Landcare Programme and over $400,000
under our Community Water Grants programme,"
he said.
"More than $4 million,
in cash and kind, has been provided by Greening
Australia and more than $2.3 million from Alcoa.
Other significant funding has come from catchment
management authorities and other corporate sponsors.
This supports the vitally important on-the-ground
work that is provided by volunteers from across
Australia.
"River Recovery fits well
with the Australian Government's overall strategy
to improve our natural resources, make agriculture
more sustainable and strengthen rural and regional
Australia, economically and socially."
Russ Neal / Rob Broadfield
