Premier Bartlett has failed to act on a sustainable water policy for Tasmania.
The Greens, now in Government, have also failed to act on their own commitment to an Independent Public Inquiry into Sustainable Water Policy in Tasmania.
The Tasmanian media have ignored the vital importance of this issue as well.
Dr David Leaman’s recent submission, HERE:
SENSINQUIRYMUR-DARL.doc
to the Senate ‘Inquiry Into Management of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in Regional Australia’ provides some blunt warnings to Tasmanians about the implications of flawed water policies in Tasmania.
In the midst of another largely hip-pocket driven consumer debate over the roll out of water meters and pricing, the big picture is being swept under the carpet yet again.
Dr Leaman’s submission gives some insights into the truth about what Tasmanians are facing with our own short sighted water management and pie in the sky plans:
“The discussion with respect to the Murray-Darling Catchment/Basin (MDC/B) should be seen as a large manifestation of a general problem. This is something not understood, for example, in my own state: Tasmania. Tasmania is years behind in terms of basic stupidity of the type which has long afflicted the MDB but national policies like NWI (National Water Initiative) and sale of resources have now crossed Bass Strait, as well as silly, greedy ideas about irrigation.
I have researched many Tasmanian catchments and all are in trouble – due to bad management, non-inclusion of key factors in management balances (e.g., groundwater/forestry use), over allocation and climate change. Yet we now have the inanity of a Tas. government urging massive irrigation projects, aiming to be “the food bowl of Australia”, seeking investors and users and attempting to entice those who may lose MDB allocations to come to “wet” Tasmania. Note that much of this stupidity has been federal policy backed with Canberra money and it will destroy both people and catchments.
Please stop, now.
All one needs is a little truth and a lot of delusion flowing from a silly Premier and worse advisers. The truth: Tasmania does receive and pass to the sea about 12% of Australia’s fresh water and has less than 1% of its land mass. My advice is simple: get a copy of a map showing long term average rainfall – and you will soon see that all this water is in the wrong place and that those parts of Tasmania which can actually grow something are as dry as the back of Bourke, parts are drier. If someone buys into such areas the problems of thin soils and salt soon emerge. Be warned. If you buy an allocation ask where the water is coming from: it may be from a system unable to supply or from someone else who also needs it but who cannot afford to pay. You can become a thief encouraged by advisers who know little, think less and have a secure town water supply.
Moving water from another catchment always comes at a price at each end as well as for the pipes. Time to start living within our water means – and our environment determines what this is.”
Tasmanians campaigning against the ‘greedy grab for more $$’s to fill the state’s coffers” through the water meter roll out need to have a bigger picture in mind. Bring on the water inquiry.
