3
March 2009 - Minister for Climate Change
and Water, Senator Penny Wong, today announced
$876,000 in funding to improve management
of groundwater quality in highly-developed
aquifers in New South Wales.
Senator Wong made the
announcement during a visit to Dubbo on
the second day of a three-day tour of the
northern Murray-Darling Basin.
“As a result of drought
and climate change, surface water in some
parts of the Murray-Darling Basin is declining
and groundwater is being pumped in increasing
quantities as an alternative water source.
“Because pumping can
lead to water moving between different levels
of an aquifer, it can cause deteriorating
groundwater quality either through changing
salinity or chemical composition.
“This project will help
water managers better understand and manage
the impacts of pumping on he quality of
groundwater resources.”
The project will investigate
up to seven groundwater management areas
in New South Wales where there is risk of
declining groundwater quality.
Research results will
allow water managers to predict the impact
of pumping on quality of water, enabling
more informed decisions.
The project results
will be used to provide more accurate estimates
of the level of risk to groundwater quality
in all Groundwater Management Units in New
South Wales.
This scientifically-based
evidence will influence future management
decisions on sustainable yields and will
be used in the development of New South
Wales Water Sharing Plans.
Under the National Water
Initiative, all governments of Australia
have acknowledged the importance of groundwater
and committed to specific actions including
environmentally sustainable levels of extraction.
The project is co-funded
by the New South Wales Department of Water
and Energy, which is contributing in-kind
support of up to $350,000.
Funding for the project
is from the National Water Commission’s
$82 million National Groundwater Action
Plan, which undertakes projects to address
groundwater knowledge gaps and progress
the groundwater reforms agreed to under
the National Water Initiative.
+ More
Toorale purchase delivers
11.4 billion extra litres of water for the
Darling River
4 March 2009 - The purchase
of Toorale station by the New South Wales
and Federal governments last September has
resulted in an extra 11.4 billion litres
of water flowing down the Darling River,
Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator
Penny Wong, said today.
Senator Wong made the
comments during an inspection of Toorale
Station on the final day of a three-day
tour of the northern Murray-Darling Basin.
The Rudd Government
assisted the New South Wales Government
in purchasing Toorale Station last September,
with the State taking responsibility for
preserving the land, and a process agreed
for transferring the water entitlement to
the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder.
In securing Toorale's
water entitlements and floodplain harvesting
rights, the deal will return an average
of 20 gigalitres of water to the Darling
River each year, peaking at up to 80 gigalitres
in flood years.
"Based on advice
from New South Wales Government hydrologists,
flows over the last fortnight in the Darling
River have been boosted by approximately
11.4 billion litres of water as a direct
result of irrigation extractions having
ceased at Toorale," Senator Wong said.
The Rudd Government
is working closely with New South Wales
to deliver the maximum environmental benefit
from the Warrego and Darling River water
entitlements at Toorale.
Senator Wong said the
Government had sought an Infrastructure
Audit and Decommissioning Plan to assess
options for decommissioning existing infrastructure.
"The Infrastructure
Audit and Decommissioning Plan will help
us reconfigure the existing irrigation infrastructure
so even more flood waters can flow through
to the Darling River.
"Significant environmental
assets that will benefit from the return
of this water include some wetlands of national
importance at Menindee Lakes, as well as
the Darling River itself."
The CSIRO Sustainable
Yields study for the Barwon-Darling system
shows the middle zone of the Darling River
between Bourke and Menindee Lakes is in
poor condition.
The Infrastructure Audit
and Decommissioning Plan will be completed
by mid-2009 and will be implemented as soon
as possible after that.
+ More
$15.7 million boost
for Indigenous rangers
4 March 2009 - The Australian
Government will provide $15.7 million over
two years to support 22 Indigenous ranger
groups, working on land and sea management
activities in the Northern Territory.
The investment supports
the development of ranger groups in a number
of regions across the Top End including
the Darwin/Daly, West Arnhem, East Arnhem,
Katherine, Ngukurr, Victoria River and Borroloola/Barkly.
More than $9 million
is committed through the Working on Country
Northern Territory program delivered by
the Department of the Environment, Water
and Heritage tocreate over 61 new ranger
jobs. The remaining funding of $6.5 million
is provided by the Aboriginals Benefit Account.
The Minister for Indigenous
Affairs, Jenny Macklin, said the joint funding
initiatives demonstrate the Australian Government's
commitment to improving employment opportunities
among Indigenous Australians in the Northern
Territory.
"In this time of
economic downturn, the Australian Government
is taking action to help ensure employment
opportunities are made available to those
who need them most," Ms Macklin said.
"This announcement
will help make progress on the Government's
aim of halving the employment gap between
Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
within a decade."
The funding also supports
accommodation for seven ranger coordinators
and storage for twenty-one chemical facilities,
six vehicles and twenty quad bikes and spray
units.
Minister for the Environment
Peter Garrett said providing funding for
employment, training and operational support
for the project is crucial to ensuring the
continued successful management of ecosystems
including wetlands in the Northern Territory.
"The work undertaken
by this project, including protecting species
and heritage values and controlling pests,
weeds and fire, is fundamental to sustainability
of our country," Mr Garrett said.
"These projects
contribute to the Government's goal to engage
with Indigenous people to manage our land
and seas and attain greater independence
through employment."
The Member for Lingiari,
Warren Snowdon, said land and sea rangers
play an incredible valuable role in preserving
country and culture.
"The rangers are
great community role models. We are committed
to assisting Indigenous rangers protect
the Territory's pristine environment."
