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Water heist threatens Gippsland environmentThe Government’s announcement that an extra 10 billion litres will be diverted from the Thomson River to Melbourne poses a grave threat to the environment of the entire Gippsland Lakes catchment. By Kevin Balshaw - 8th September 2009 - Back to News • Statement by the Member for Eastern Victoria, Philip Davis
The Government’s announcement September 8 that an extra 10 billion litres will be diverted from the Thomson River to Melbourne poses a grave threat to the environment of the entire Gippsland Lakes catchment.
The water heist, which I understand is not just a one-off but will be repeated beyond next year, will also shake the heavily tourism based regional economy.
Water Minister Tim Holding conceded in comment on the Government statement, in which the Thomson diversion was mentioned only in passing, that taking the extra water would pose a risk to the health of the Thomson River.
Draining further water from Gippsland will irreparably damage the Gippsland Lakes, wetlands and rivers, the health of which is already in a precarious state.
These natural features are formally recognised under international environmental conventions. The Government-inflicted degradation that will result from this drastic step could be retrograde to their status, which would be disastrous for Gippsland and for Victoria.
Gippsland’s natural environment and the substantial economic activity centred on it are at serious risk because of the Government’s inactivity on water supply augmentation when it had the opportunity earlier in this decade and its continuing mismanagement of Melbourne’s water supply.
The Government’s environmental credentials are in shreds after this announcement.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: kevin.balshaw@parliament.vic.gov.au
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