On World Wetlands Day today we celebrate Australia’s significant contribution to the global wetland conservation movement. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Cobourg Peninsula in the Northern Territory, being listed as the world’s first Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. Through a number of governments there has been bipartisan recognition that our…
The first ever trading of Commonwealth water holdings signals a new era of water management that can deliver better benefits to both the environment and the economy, Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today. “The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) will today release the Water Trading Framework and announce the first sale of…
The Australian Government will inject $11 million into Queensland’s Murray-Darling Basin communities to improve the efficiency of irrigation in the catchment. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment Senator Simon Birmingham and Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Andrew Cripps said the funding would provide much needed upgrades to the resources and agriculture…
The Government is delighted to announce that the Australian Government has appointed Ms Sally Barnes as Director of National Parks. Ms Barnes brings with her nearly 20 years experience in the environment field. She is currently the Chief Executive of the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage with responsibilities for national parks and reserves, including…
One of Australia’s largest environmental works projects is demonstrating how infrastructure can be used to achieve environmental outcomes in the Murray–Darling Basin. The $32 million package of works at Hattah Lakes, in north-west Victoria, was officially opened today by Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment, and Victorian Minister…
The Commonwealth Government has signed an agreement with Victoria which will see $103 million of federal funding made available for irrigation infrastructure upgrades in the Sunraysia region. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment Senator Simon Birmingham and Victorian Minister for Water Peter Walsh signed the funding agreement in Mildura today. “I am pleased…
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment, Senator Simon Birmingham, and the NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson, today announced a funding agreement of up to $800,000 for the NSW Government to undertake project planning, stakeholder consultation and detailed design work for a water savings project to reduce average evaporation at the Menindee…
Geoscience Australia has identified new potential groundwater resources beneath the Darling River floodplain near Menindee Lakes in far western New South Wales (NSW). The potential groundwater resources and aquifer storage options were identified in the 7,500 square kilometre study area at depths of 25 to 100 metres below the ground. Between 2,100 and 4,400 gigalitres…
The Government will remove unnecessary environmental red tape by disallowing two ecological community listings in the Murray-Darling Basin, Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Senator Simon Birmingham announced today. “These listings were made by the previous government the day prior to entering caretaker mode,” Senator Birmingham said. “They immediately provoked extensive concerns across affected communities. “As…
The delivery of up to 600 gigalitres (billion litres) of environmental water from the River Murray system, the Goulburn and Murrumbidgee Rivers into South Australia is underway and will continue into January 2014. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment, Senator Simon Birmingham said the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder has made available over 500…