Fact sheet 9: Environment
The Australian Government will invest a further $500 million to restore the health of the Murray-Darling Basin. This money will be used to undertake a range of capital works and improvements to protect the resources of the basin and enhance environmental flows. The additional $500 million will fund additional projects under the Living Murray Environmental Works and Measures Programme and provide additional resources to return 500 gigalitres per annum by 2009 for the Living Murray's environmental flows.
The capital works which will now be possible include:
- advancing construction of salt interception structures and systems to reduce salinity and maintain water quality for Adelaide, irrigators and regional communities
- completion of the sea to Hume dam fishways by 2011 to allow our native fish populations to reconnect along the River Murray
- maintenance and renewal of River Murray water delivery infrastructure, which is currently being run down
- new infrastructure to maximise the environmental benefits of water recovered for Living Murray initiatives, providing greater confidence that recovery of the important ecological sites along the system can be achieved
The Australian Government calls on the Murray Darling states - Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, ACT and South Australia - to invest generously to restore the health of the River Murray.
Other initiatives for the environment include:
An extension to the National Landcare Programme by two years by providing an additional $80 million ($40 million in both 2006-07 and 2007-08).
$388.9 million over four years for a whole?of?government initiative to safeguarding our borders against exotic pests and diseases, Australia increasingly needs to protect our valuable resources such as our fisheries and forests the problem, and its associated biosecurity risks.
Overall spending for the environment and heritage will be $3.9 billion.
For information about ALGA's analysis of the Budget regarding Environment please contact:
- Rosemary James
- Environment/NRM Policy
Australian Local Government Association - Phone: 02 6122 9433
- rosemary.james@alga.asn.au