10 May 2006 - Sydney,
Australia - WWF-Australia has welcomed today's
announcement of further investment in the future
of the Murray River, but warns translating cash
into water remains a significant challenge for
governments.
"The Federal Government's
ongoing commitment to improving the river's health
is welcome but we have a long way to go to delivering
the Living Murray outcomes," WWF-Australia's
Freshwater Policy Manager Averil Bones said.
"Efficiency gains through
infrastructure can ensure water is used wisely
and that waste is reduced. Demand for water remains
high - management regimes must ensure climatic
shifts do not result in further environmental
declines.
"Significant areas of Australia's
southern water resources remain over-allocated.
Clawing back those over-allocations to ensure
environmental health in the face of conflicting
interests remains a hugely complex and difficult
proposition," Ms Bones said.
"The Commonwealth's leadership
on this issue is important. WWF-Australia urges
all levels of government to work together to achieve
both the Living Murray and the National Water
Initiative objectives within the timeframe. We
must spend this money wisely on projects that
will deliver significant flows back to the Murray
in the short term."
"The damage and the subsequent
costs of restoring the Murray must not be repeated
in our other important water resources in Australia's
north."
