Nature's Voice edition 11

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VICTORI A

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In

February 2012

NATION ARKS LP A

Victorian National Parks Association newsletter – Number 11

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Nature’s Voice

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Typeface: Book Antiqua Regular

The Murray and its wetlands are in good shape after two wet years, but what happens when the next drought comes? Photo: Keith Ward

Murray-Darling draft plan fails to deliver

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n late November, the MurrayDarling Basin Authority (MDBA) released its draft plan for the Basin. Disappointingly, the plan fails on many counts. If implemented, it would leave River Red Gum national parks and Ramsar wetlands at risk of dying for a drink. Unless the plan’s environmental focus is made stronger, with buybacks of significantly higher quantities of water, the Gillard Government and the MDBA will not deliver on their promises to restore our rivers. The draft plan: • Proposes to return just 2750 gigalitres (GL) of water to the environment each year. The best available science says at least 4000GL should be returned to the Basin’s rivers annually. • Fails to meet the requirements of the Commonwealth Water Act to protect and restore our river ecosystems. The CSIRO says only 55% of environmental targets will be met by the current proposal.

submissions@mdba.gov.au, fax (02) 6279 0558, or post to Proposed Basin Plan, MDBA, GPO Box 3001, Canberra City, ACT 2601. For ideas on what to say, see mdbp.vnpa.org.au.

Nick Roberts Riverside Rescue Coordinator

In addition: • The implementation time frame (up to 2019) is too long, creating uncertainty for irrigators, the environment and the community. • Water to be recovered for the Goulburn is inadequate to maintain a healthy river. • The MDBA has ignored its climate change modelling, relying instead on historical climate data. The MDBA is undertaking a formal consultation process on the draft plan until 16 April 2012. Your voice is vital in preventing the government from adopting a bad plan that fails our rivers and parks.

2. Donate to the VNPA Your donation will help us publicise the facts that our rivers and red gum parks need guaranteed water supplies, and that saving the Murray and creating new green jobs will assist farmers and communities, not destroy them. Every donation counts. Visit redgumappeal.vnpa.org.au, phone 9347 5188, or post the coupon on page 7 to the VNPA office.

1. Make a submission You can email a submission to

3. Write to federal environment and water minister Tony Burke The minister needs to hear that you want our rivers and red gum parks to get the amount of water they need to survive. The Federal Government must deliver on its promises to save the Murray. Find contact details for federal minister Tony Burke on page 2.

ALSO IN THIS EDITION •  Alpine grazing ‘trial’ rejected..................2 •  Great Victorian Fish Count ................. 3 •  Anglesea heathlands ......................... 4

•  Mammal monitoring project ............. 5 •  VNPA 60th anniversary............................7 •  Bushwalking updates......................... 8

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