The Australian Government has today announced that a new water purchase round will open in the New South Wales Murray and Lower Darling catchments on 9 April 2014. “The water purchase round will be open until 5pm AEST on 28 April 2014 for interested water entitlement holders to make an offer”, said Senator Simon Birmingham,…
The delivery of 1,272 billion litres of Commonwealth environmental water in 2012-13 has boosted water quality, species habitats and wetland management. “Delivering environmental outcomes in a working basin requires careful management, local knowledge and a strong strategy to keep the basin healthy”, said Senator Simon Birmingham, Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment. “Across the Basin water…
476 irrigators across southern NSW, South Australia and Victoria will benefit from an expanded $158 million investment in irrigation infrastructure to improve the water efficiency of their farms and return water to the Murray-Darling. “Six regional partners will deliver projects across 476 farming properties to return more than 60 billion litres of water to the…
The Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce will chair a new ministerial working group set up to identify new infrastructure projects that can deliver Australia’s water supply needs in the future. The first task of the group, which was established by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, will be to identify priorities, investment and processes to fast-track development.…
All Australians can try their hand at being a river operator with the help of a new mobile game, Run the River. Run the River is a mobile game developed by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority to help educate students about balancing demands for water in a river system, the importance of good river management and…
The outstanding contribution of the weather forecasters to the community is recognised today as the Bureau of Meteorology marks World Meteorological Day. “Awards for innovation, excellence and strategic alliance were acknowledged, along with the Bureau of Meteorology as one of the oldest and most valued Australian Government agencies, operating since 1908. “Individuals and teams across…
The Australian Government today announced amendments to financial regulations to allow for the common sense treatment of the trade of water rights, commonly traded on Australian water markets, so they are able to be regulated in the same manner as agricultural commodities. Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Senator Simon Birmingham said the amendments to regulations…
The Australian Government has announced $10 million for research funding to support improved environmental water use in the Murray-Darling Basin. “This collaborative research project will be coordinated regionally by the Wodonga and Mildura based Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre’s, which will be undertaken with other research organisations and government agencies working in the Basin,” Parliamentary Secretary…
The Australian Government has signed an agreement with the Australian Capital Territory that will see up to $85 million of Australian Government funds available to help clean up Canberra’s lakes and waterways. Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Senator Simon Birmingham, and ACT Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell, announced the completion of…
The Australian Government has completed an agreement which brings all jurisdictions together to implement the historic Murray-Darling Basin Plan for water reform. The Premiers of NSW and Queensland have this week signed the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray-Darling Basin and an amended National Partnership Agreement (NPA). A commitment to cap…