13 October
2006 - The Australian Minister for the Environment
and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, and the West
Australian Minister for the Environment, Mr Mark
McGowan, today announced $4.2 million to improve
water quality in the Swan-Canning Estuary, Geographe
Bay and the Ramsar-listed Vasse-Wonnerup wetlands.
“In the summer months the Swan-Canning
Estuary and the Vasse-Wonnerup wetlands suffer
algal blooms that kill fish and put at risk Western
Australia’s unique environment,” Senator Campbell
said.
Mr McGowan said this damage
was being caused mostly by nutrient runoff from
contaminated urban and agricultural land in the
catchments.
“Water quality will be improved
by reducing agricultural sources of nutrients
and implementing water-sensitive urban design
in partnership with local government and industry,”
Mr McGowan said.
Water Quality Improvement Plans
will provide the roadmaps for reducing nutrient
levels in these waterways using scientific models
and decision-support tools prepared under this
new initiative.
The Australian Government has
contributed $2.7 million through the Natural Heritage
Trust’s Coastal Catchments Initiative, with the
remaining funding coming from the West Australian
Government and Local Government Association. Together
with the Peel-Harvey Estuarine Coastal Catchments
Initiative, the Swan-Canning Estuary and Geographe
Bay projects make up a joint $6.3 million government
investment in the future of Western Australia’s
coasts.
“Protecting water quality in
these important areas is just a small part of
the Australian Government’s commitment to protecting
the waters of our coastal zone and coastal wetlands,”
Senator Campbell said.
“The Australian Government’s
National Programme of Action to Protect the Marine
Environment from Land-based Activities draws together
a host of programmes around the nation which,
with the cooperation of state, territory and local
government, will see outstanding improvements
in preventing marine pollution nationally.
These West Australian projects,
which are part of our Coastal Catchments Initiative,
demonstrate the National Cooperative Approach
to Integrated Coastal Zone Management, which I
announced in May this year.”
Senator Campbell said the Plan
for the Vasse-Wonnerup Estuary and Geographe Bay
would include an ecological character description
for the wetland, which was critical to meeting
Australia’s international obligations under the
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
Mr McGowan said the Swan-Canning
Estuary was the lifeblood of Perth, and Geographe
Bay the summer holiday destination of many West
Australians. “We owe it to ourselves to preserve
these gems for future generations.”
More information on the Coastal Catchments Initiative
is at
www.deh.gov.au/coasts/pollution/cci/index.html.
Senator Campbell: Regina Titelius
Mr Mark McGowan: Kym Coolhaas
