Media release
26 June 2009
Two wetlands in
South Australia are receiving a total of
1,531 million litres of environmental water
this month under the Australian Government's
Water for the Future plan.
Minister for Climate
Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, said
most of the water was sourced from Toorale
Station which was purchased by the New South
Wales Government in late 2008 with funding
assistance from the Australian Government.
"So far this year,
some 8.7 billion litres of water sourced
from Toorale have been allocated to seven
sites in New South Wales, Victoria and South
Australia," Senator Wong said.
"This new round
of environmental watering will occur at
Murbpook Lagoon, near Blanchetown, and Paiwalla
Wetland, near Murray Bridge, during June.
"The sites were
selected by the Commonwealth Environmental
Water Holder in consultation with the states
and the Environmental Water Scientific Advisory
Committee.
"This latest round
of watering brings a total of 10.9 billion
litres of water allocated to the environment
so far as a result of the $3.1 billion water
buyback being conducted through the Government's
plan Water for the Future."
Murbpook Lagoon, between
locks 1 and 2 on the River Murray, is about
17 km north of Blanchetown. The lagoon has
been dry since 2004 when it became disconnected
from the main river channel due to lower
river levels. Murbpook Lagoon will receive
1,400 million litres.
The watering aims to
maintain the health of the River Red Gums
and Coobahs and halt further salinisation
of the wetland bed. Murbpook Lagoon is a
known refuge site for species such as the
Regent Parrot (listed as vulnerable under
Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999) and a number of migratory
bird species.
Paiwalla Wetland, between
Lock 1 and Wellington near Murray Bridge
on the River Murray will receive 131 million
litres, topping up the 475 million litres
of Commonwealth water the site received
in March 2009. Paiwalla Wetland is an important
drought refuge below Lock 1 for water-dependent
and wetland associated species such as frogs
and waterbirds.
The additional water
will maintain water quality and levels in
the wetland for a longer period than previously
and maintain vital habitats including the
damp sedgelands that support the Painted
Snipe and Little Bittern, species listed
under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999.
More information is
available at: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/policy-programs/cewh/
+ More
Minister holds energy
efficiency talks with International Energy
Agency
Media Release
25 June 2009
Environment Minister Peter Garrett met with
the Executive Director of the International
Energy Agency, Nobuo Tanaka, in Paris on
Friday, putting forward Australia's ambitious
energy efficiency agenda.
"Australia has
a comprehensive set of energy efficiency
initiatives, including legislation, incentives
and support for smarter technologies, which
focuses on our buildings, lighting, appliances
and equipment, and industry," said
Minister Garrett.
"By the end of
this year alone we will have commenced the
most ambitious offer of energy efficiency
incentives ever seen in Australia through
the $4 billion Energy Efficient Homes Package,
introduced mandatory energy labelling for
televisions and phased out of inefficient
incandescent light bulbs.
"In 2010, we will
make changes to energy efficiency requirements
for new buildings through the Building Code
of Australia, start to phase in disclosure
of energy performance for commercial buildings,
raise energy efficiency standards for whitegoods
currently being labelled, and implement
minimum energy performance standards for
swimming pool systems, set top boxes and
computers.
"We know that energy
efficiency is the fastest and cheapest way
to lower our emissions. Australia's appliance
and equipment energy efficiency initiatives
including labelling and regulated minimum
energy performance standards alone are estimated
to deliver energy savings of 32,000 gigawatt
hours per year by 2020, equivalent to 14
per cent of Australia's electricity use
in 2006-07.
"Each of these
initiatives will continue to ramp up over
coming years, with continuous improvement
in standards for goods and buildings, and
better information to help us all make smarter
decisions about the products we use.
"My meeting with
the International Energy Agency has also
given me an opportunity to discuss the Australian
Government's plan to invest $100 million
into the large-scale trial of smart grid
technology in an Australia through the National
Energy Efficiency Initiative."
As a result of this
meeting, the Minister has announced that
the Government will build upon its active
collaboration with the International Energy
Agency using extensive IEA research, data
collection and analysis on appliances, energy
use and supply to help inform the implementation
of the Government's agenda.
"Closer collaboration
with the International Energy Agency will
help ensure Australia's energy efficiency
efforts are international best practice
and give us the opportunity to play our
part in on an international stage,"
added Minister Garrett.
More information on
the Australian Government's energy efficiency
agenda is available at www.environment.gov.au/settlements/energyefficiency/index.html
Paris, France
