CSIRO advice must be adopted for economic confidence in the MDB

Media Release
The Wilderness Society (SA) Inc.
29 November 2011

The Draft Murray Darling Basin Plan will continue to degrade the environment and the economy, according to the CSIRO review of the scientific basis for the report, said Peter Owen, The Wilderness Society's South Australian Campaign Manager.

“The science is clearly showing that the Draft Plan will continue to see damage to the environment, and this damage will damage the economy.

"The Government's own scientific review states clearly that 2,800GL or less will not meet the ecological targets.

"Over the last 100 years, we have seen environmental and economic damage from over-allocating water from the basin.

"What we have failed to consider is the economic benefits from returning the river to health.

"We can only have strong basin economies if we have a healthy environment.

"The CSIRO says we've failed to meet the bench marks for a healthy environment.

"We have irrigators, people who flood fields to grow rice, saying that this Draft will cause economic damage.

"Well we know what causes economic damage. Economic damage is caused by over-allocation, from taking too much water. Just ask the winemaker, the farmers and the fisherman from South Australia.

“South Australians clearly understand that the only way to ensure economic viability for the system is to ensure sustainable flows.

"Today we've heard from Barnaby Joyce and the NSW irrigators, stating that the cost of food will go up under this Plan.

"Well the cost of doing business is much less under a healthy environment.

"The only way this can be achieved is through adopting the CSIRO's finding on what's required for a sustainable system” said Mr Owen.

For more information, please contact:
Adrian Dodd: 0401 726 476
Peter Owen: 0423 550 018