Environment groups today welcomed the release of two significant and detailed water policies today by Premier Steve Bracks and Opposition Leader, Robert Doyle.
Environment Victoria’s Healthy Rivers Campaign Director Dr Paul Sinclair said, “Whichever party wins government, we will see a significant improvement in the way we manage rivers and water resources in Victoria.
“Both parties have committed to restoring the Murray River to health, and both have committed substantial funds to improved river health, improved catchment and river management, as well as more efficient use of water resources.”
“For the first time we now have a bipartisan commitment to restoring the dying Murray River to health.”
Highlights of new water policy commitments include the following:
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*Some double counting may be involved in the figures for both policies:
ACF Land & Water Co-ordinator Tim Fisher said, “With both parties vastly improving their commitments to river health and water efficiency, today marks a sea change in Victorian environmental policy.
“For both parties, we retain some reservations about the uses to which taxpayers’ funds will be put. We continue to seek assurances that all water saved through public investment will be used to boost environmental flows in our rivers, “ Mr Fisher said.
“At the moment both parties are vague about where money from their water funds are going to be spent. We’ll be looking to secure firm commitments that healthy rivers will be the fund’s highest priority”