Another milestone in the hydropolitics of the Murray Darling Basin

The catchments of the Murray Darling Basin

Picture is from here

MEDIA RELEASE

28 August 2012

Picture from here

Craig Knowles, Chair, Murray Darling Basin Authority

Statement from the Chair

Today is an important milestone in the progress towards a Murray–Darling Basin Plan as it represents, under the process mandated by the Water Act, the end of the period where Basin ministers advise the Commonwealth minister of any further views on the draft plan.

Basin ministers have today provided both their consensus views and individual state views on the current version of the plan. From this point, any suggestions or directions about further changes can only come from the Commonwealth minister. We note that the Commonwealth minister has, despite his clear authority to act unilaterally, indicated his intention to use his best endeavours to continue to work with all jurisdictions to finalise the plan this year.

The Murray–Darling Basin Authority will now consider the information as part of the next step of progressing the draft plan. This opportunity for Basin ministers to provide their views follows their ministerial notice to the MDBA in July, where ministers achieved common ground on a number of important and key issues.

As the Commonwealth minister has noted in his statement today, it is anticipated he will be providing further comments on the draft plan as he continues his discussions with Basin ministers in the coming weeks.

The MDBA would like to thank the Commonwealth and state and territory governments for their suggestions so far and to restate our commitment to use a balanced approach to managing the water resources of the Basin. We also thank the many groups and individuals in the Basin who have contributed to this process of developing the plan and also reaffirm our commitment to continue working with them as we undertake this important national water reform.

ENDS

For more information contact the MDBA Media office at media@mdba.gov.auor 02 6279 0141.

Follow the MDBA http://twitter.com/MD_Basin_Auth

Join the discussion on the MDBA blog: http://freeflow.mdba.gov.au/

Murray–Darling Basin Authority
GPO Box 1801 Canberra ACT 2601
MEDIA ENQUIRIES: (02) 6279 0141

e: media@mdba.gov.au
w: www.mdba.gov.au

blog: freeflow.mdba.gov.au 

t @MD_Basin_Auth

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The Proposed Basin Plan documents and fact sheets. Enough here to make your eyes glaze over!

An ordinary mortal in coming to grips with the material put forward by the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) in regard to the Proposed Basin Plan is quite a hurdle. I have been remiss in the timeliness of getting these documents to you on line, Networkers.  So.. I hope you have been over at the website.  I have been battling all manner of ill health this past month and this week has been taken up with all manner of medical and allied medical visitations ... and there is a biggy next week.  I am having yet another mammogram but expect this one to enable me to celebrate ten years free of breast cancer!

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There is a mountain of material on the MDBA website.  There are the comments from Minister Tony Burke and the Chairman of the Authority, Craig Knowles.  There's a decision to be made about whether one can get to any of the listed consultations.   The consultations appear to be less numerous and widespread than those held by the Authority when the Guide to the Draft Plan last year.  However, I am advised that the current list is only for consultations prior to Christmas.  In the New Year, a new list will appear with more extensive consultations, including Melbourne, on the list. I was able to attend the consultations in Shepparton and in Melbourne last time....but, while the spirit is very willing, the body has got somewhat weaker in the ensuing year.

I did this week attend The Low Down held at Environment Victoria this week.  Lead speaker was the marvellous Juliet Le Feuvre.  She was ably followed by the more than capable Domenica Settle.

These two women are the Rivers Campaigners/Experts for Environment Victoria.

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However, I will begin at the beginning.  The material below is available from the the Authority website.  I download it here, because for some it is more accessible and may prove easier to locate in the longer term.  

I do commend the authority on the document regarding the individual catchments of the Murray Darling Basin.  The individual maps provided are valuable and, I have to wonder, whether teachers might take a good look at the document for classroom use.  In addition, I wonder if localised tourism could be enhanced by marketing catchment tours so people can learn about their rivers, the environment, agriculture, and irrigation.  I have lived in a number of these catchments and have travelled in a number of others.  But what better way to get to know your country than by getting to know the Murray-Darling Basin - people could be encouraged to gather a clutch of catchments in an interlinked regional tourism push.

Basin Plan implementation pathway process

Proposed Basin Plan


Knowledge behind the Plan


The draft Basin Plan: catchment by catchment


The proposed "environmentally sustainable level of take"
for surface water of the Murray-Darling Basin: method and outcomes


Climate change and the Basin Plan


FACT SHEET:
The proposed 'environmentally sustainable level of take'
for surface water of the Murray-Darling Basin


Flooding and the Basin Plan


Hydrological modelling


Managing Australia's water resources


Sustainable diversion limit compliance


Transitional and interim water resource plans


Water Quality and Salinity Management Plan


Communication products for draft Basin Plan release

Delivering a healthy working Basin

Questions answered

Now if you aren't worn out, asleep, or thoroughly bored witless
I won't download any more docs.
HOWEVER,
please go to these linked documents
Supporting Documents
Environmental Watering Plan - What's in it and how will it work?

If it were 1 June, I would suggest gathering the family around the fire for a reading session and you could each take a doc and read snippets to each other over a succession of nights.  This should only take about three months so that on 31 August you can quiz each other and see who passes the comprehension test.  On the first day of Spring collapse in a heap and then hibernate until Christmas.  

Instead it's December. It's hot. Some catchments have had floods already this season and some are keeping an eye on their rivers for more of the same.  The documents have been out for just under a fortnight and there's just over a fortnight until Christmas.  Oh, well. Forget the Christmas Cards.  Give everyone in the family a store gift card.   Who has time to shop?  Merry Christmas and we'll see if we can get this sorted in the New Year.