Climate threat means Australia needs a stronger water watchdog
23 Oct 2007
WWF-Australia will be calling on the next Australian Government to empower the National Water Commission (NWC) to fast-track real water reform as climate change threatens to deepen Australia's water crisis.
WWF-Australia's Freshwater Program Leader Nick Heath said yesterday's NWC report showed Australia was failing to manage its most precious resource and had not yet implemented important reforms to water management agreed three years ago by State and Commonwealth governments.
"National intervention in water management across the States is badly needed and the next Australian Government will need to provide a more fearless and independent assessment of State water reform performance," Mr Heath said.
"Flow of Federal money to States should be tied to water reform performance to ensure States had the incentive to bring in needed but sometimes difficult reforms," he said.
In 2004, the National Water Initiative set out a realistic program of reform, and yet achievement of honest water prices and high-security environmental entitlements is yet to occur.
"After billions of dollars have been spent and after years of planning and policy development, it is beyond comprehension that the Snowy river today flows at less than one per cent of its original flow," Mr Heath said.
Many of the Murray Darling's internationally important wetlands now remain dry throughout winter and as a result acres of river red gums and some of the last refuges for migratory birds in Australia are dying of thirst.
"New urban and rural supply proposals continue to rely on old and climate-sensitive dams, desalination and pipes, instead of full adoption of demand management and cutting edge water saving technologies," he said.
"Water quality in our coastal rivers and wetlands is still poorly managed. Eighty per cent of the water draining to the Great Barrier Reef is so polluted it breaches national water quality guidelines – putting up to 700 reefs at risk."
In WWF's Priorities for a Living Australia, the world's largest conservation organisation is calling on the next Australian Government to introduce some key water reforms:
- Provide greater reform incentives by tying Commonwealth revenue grants to independent assessment of State Government water reform performance
- Commit $300m to saving the Great Barrier Reef from water pollution
- Protect northern Australia's high value rivers and wetlands from extraction and degradation
- Stop dams proposals in high value places, such as Traveston or Urannah Dams
More information
Charlie Stevens, Press Officer, WWF-Australia
Phone: 02 8202 1274
Mobile: 0424 649 689
Email: cstevens@wwf.org.au
Nick Heath, Freshwater Program Leader, WWF-Australia
Mobile: 041 888 5324
