LETTER NO 1
RE: All Basin state governments have submitted plans for accreditation; however delivery of water resource plans is behind schedule (as sited on mdba.gov.au June 2021)
Water resource plans are currently under review. The Federal and State governments plan to set new rules on how much water can be taken from the system. As a concerned citizen I am looking for transparency, improvement in accountability, true independent scientific data. The Menindee Lake disaster in 2018/19 showed Australians how poorly mismanaged the water plans are.
Leading up to COVID19- Sars2 Australia had been experiencing drought and an unprecedented loss of water to small towns such as Wilcannia; one of Australia’s most disadvantaged towns; ran out of water. How there was unprecedented fish deaths on a scale never witnessed before in Australia. And lastly, how on of the largest river systems ran dry for 1500 kilometres.
As a concerned citizen of Australia
- How the Federal Government will be frank and honest with any changes.
The Dotted points is the Water Plan
I would like assurance that there are substantial improvements to the understanding of the Water Act 2007 of which all the water plans sit under.
- improve water security for all uses of water resources in the Basin
Does this security include: Small towns such as Wilcannia and Menindee that live poor water quality and a balanced ecology?
“The fish, the mussels, the yabbies; the bird life isn’t here anymore like it used to be.” Extract from Griffith Review
- promote the use and management of the Basin’s water resources in a way that optimises economic, social and environmental outcomes
Does this optimisation include:
A guarantee for no more fish kills that have increased in severity since the unexplained Menindee Lake drainage in 2007 and 2009?
- ensure the return to environmentally sustainable levels of extraction for water resources that are overallocated or overused
Will there be proper audits of water extracted for dams and from underground for farming and mining?
- protect, restore and provide for the environment of the Basin
How will this be achieved?
- maximise the economic returns to the Australian community from the use and management of the Basin’s water resources
Does economic return include small town survival, environmental survival, and the continuous flow of water into the Menindee lakes and Darling river?
- implement relevant international agreements to address the threats to the Basin’s water resources
Does that include buy back of water right from international corporations and organisations that have their bank accounts off-shore accounts?
- ensure that the management of the Basin’s water resources takes into account the broader management of natural resources
Does this include a format that is understandable to the general public and considers the environmental impact?
- achieve efficient and cost-effective water management and administrative practices in relation to the Basin’s water resources
With the government ensure the management and administration is transparent and accountable and available to the public in a format that is understood?
- to provide for the collection, collation, analysis and dissemination of information
Do you ensure the collection, analysis and dissemination is transparent and
include an open to the public audit of ALL water allocations ground, surface, and stored at any given time?
Looking forward to your response on transparency, improvement in accountability, true independent scientific data.
This is a start on #tooghottohandle project. One of the objectives is to write a letter to a Polly on a vexed issue. The first one is water. Luckily, they the governments and territories are behind schedule, on updating the Water Plan. I was able to submit my two pager –to Hon. Keith Pitt MP Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia (National Party)
It was 244 words over 300 word limit of my own target 🙂 I had been hanging onto the issue for too long.
#menindee lakes #wilcannia #MurrayDarlingBasin, #water #toohottohandle #waterplan
