Media release - 23 October
2008 - The Greater Barrier Reef will benefit
from water quality improvements and reduced
run-off with the allocation of $23 million
in Rudd Government funding to natural resource
and industry groups, announced today.
The funding is part
of the Australian Government's $200 million
Reef Rescue package and aims to continue
work to reduce the amount of fertilisers,
chemicals and sediments entering waterways
that drain to the Great Barrier Reef.
Details were announced
today by Australian Government Environment
Minister Peter Garrett and Minister for
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony
Burke.
"The Rudd Government
recognises that many farmers have already
carried out great work on their properties
to improve land management practices,"
Mr Burke said.
"Most of this $23
million will help farmers in the sugar,
horticulture, grazing, cropping and dairy
industries to continue that good work, which
will boost productivity and reduce costs.
"Projects will
include the use of GPS-guided farming to
reduce soil compaction and erosion; managing
and re-vegetating cane drains and converting
machinery to use fertilisers and herbicides
more efficiently.
"The funding will
also help research and development to improve
reef lagoon water quality."
Under Reef Rescue, regional
and industry organisations work with private
landholders and land managers to help the
Great Barrier Reef resist the impacts of
climate change.
The money will roll
out in the next few weeks throughout Queensland
coastal catchment groups and to industry.
"Improved land
management can have a real impact on the
health of this internationally renowned,
World Heritage listed natural wonder. Through
Caring for our Country the Rudd Labor Government
has set a clear objective of reducing nutrient
and chemical discharge from land to the
Reef by 25 per cent by 2010," Mr Garrett
said.
"I am very pleased
that through this program Rudd Labor Government
is bringing together farmers, land managers,
environmental groups and the industry in
an unprecedented way to ensure that the
Great Barrier Reef has the best chance of
survival, particularly in the face of dangerous
climate change," he said.
Five regional organisations
will each receive up to $7 million to work
with industry organisations, land managers
and landholders to give the Reef a better
chance to survive climate change impacts.
In addition, just over
$1 million will support a partnership between
five primary production industry organisations,
the Queensland Farmers' Federation and the
Regional Groups Collective to raise awareness
of the need for land management changes.
The Ministers said that
land managers and landholders are also being
supported to manage stock access to waterways,
to prevent stock from trampling river banks
and helping to reverse instability and erosion.
For more information visit www.nrm.gov.au
