Media
release - 3 February 2009 - Victorian irrigators
can now apply for the Rudd Government's
Small Block Irrigators Exit Grant Package,
the Federal Minister for Climate Change,
Senator Penny Wong, and the Victorian Water
Minister, Tim Holding, announced today.
The Small Block Irrigators
Exit Grant Package offers up to $150,000
to eligible irrigators in the Murray-Darling
Basin on farms of 15 hectares or less, plus
up to $20,000 in other transitional assistance.
Irrigators must sell their water entitlement
to the Commonwealth to be eligible for the
exit grant.
"This program will
help eligible irrigators remain in their
family homes and on their farms while getting
out of the business of irrigation. It will
also help return water to the stressed rivers
and wetlands of the Murray-Darling system,"
Senator Wong said.
The program is now open
in all Basin states after the Commonwealth
obtained commitments to water reform sought
from Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
Irrigators in South Australia have had access
to the Small Block Irrigators Exit Grant
Package since November.
Mr Holding said the
Victorian Government and the Commonwealth
Government had reached agreement on a process
to progress water market reforms.
He said a number of
Victorian farmers had expressed interest
in the package, particularly in the Sunraysia
region.
"Although it is
always unfortunate to see irrigators moving
away from farming, this exit package will
allow small-scale irrigators to sell their
water rights while staying on their land,"
Mr Holding said.
"Importantly, it
means irrigators impacted by drought and
climate change can remain in their homes,
many of which have been in the family for
generations, and continue to be part of
the local community."
Senator Wong encouraged
interested irrigators to submit an application
form to Centrelink promptly to allow an
assessment of eligibility for the program.
"Small block irrigators
who intend to apply must offer water entitlements
for sale to the Commonwealth through the
tender process by 30 April 2009 to ensure
they can take advantage of this program,"
Senator Wong said.
Further details on the
eligibility criteria for the grants is available
at www.environment.gov.au/water
Small block irrigators
who are seeking further information on the
program are encouraged to contact Centrelink
on 1800 050 015 or their local Centrelink
office. More information on selling water
to the Commonwealth is available at www.environment.gov.au
or by calling 1800 218 478.
+ More
Coastal wetlands benefit
from $500,000 Reef Rescue boost
Joint Media release
- 2 February 2009 - As part of World Wetlands
Day 2009, Environment Minister Peter Garrett
and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries
and Forestry today announced a $500,000
funding boost for wetlands along the Great
Barrier Reef coast.
The funding is part
of the Rudd Government's Reef Rescue initiative,
under Caring for our Country.
Caring for our Country
is taking a new, coordinated approach to
environmental management in Australia, built
on a set of consistent national targets.
The Ministers said Reef
Rescue was helping natural resource management
groups, government and non-government organisations,
industry and farmers in the reef's catchment
to work together to protect and improve
local wetlands.
"Wetlands in coastal
catchments are vital to the health of the
Great Barrier Reef," Mr Garrett said.
"Like the kidneys
of the environment, wetlands play such an
important role in filtering water moving
from the catchment into the Great Barrier
Reef lagoon, absorbing pollutants, providing
habitat and on the coast, wetlands also
help protect our shores from wave action."
Mr Burke said farmers
already understood the importance of improved
land management practices and were leading
the way.
"Farmers will be
the first affected by climate change and
they will continue to adapt the latest research
and development to improve sustainability
on-farm," he said.
"Many of Queensland's
wetlands are situated on private land so
the Rudd Government will continue to support
landholders in managing those wetland systems."
Other wetland activities
funded by the Rudd Government through Reef
Rescue include projects in the Wet Tropics,
Burdekin and Burnett Mary regions, delivered
in partnership with peak agricultural industry
groups and non-government organisations
such as Wetland Care Australia. These projects
are helping land managers to integrate wetland
management activities into their farm management
systems.
For further information go to www.nrm.gov.au
