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Labor Fails To Support Water-Saving Irrigation Methods

The city-centric Bracks Government has embarrassed itself again with its lack of knowledge on issues affecting country Victorians, in light of new planning provisions restricting spray irrigation systems.

By Phillip Davis - 10th November 2004 - Back to News

Shadow Minister for Agriculture Philip Davis said at a time when water supplies were scarce and the Government was actively encouraging water saving measures; he was dumbfounded that Planning Minister Mary Delahunty was saying there was little difference between flood and spray irrigation systems.

Mr Davis said Planning Minister Mary Delahunty this week told the media that: "a flood or border check irrigation system properly established and maintained is roughly as efficient as pivot irrigation systems." (Weekly Times, 10 November 2004, page 3)

The comment was in response to her new changes to the Victorian Planning Provisions that will force farmers to obtain a permit if they have to remove native vegetation to use or maintain centre pivot spray irrigation systems.

"This contradicts advice from the government’s own Department of Primary Industries," Mr Davis said.

"The DPI advises on its website that border-check irrigation systems ‘can use too much water and contribute to the development of shallow water tables, nutrient loss to river systems and salinisation problems. In areas where border-check irrigation may be inappropriate, conversion from a border-check to a centre pivot system is one option for reducing water use and alleviating the environmental impacts of irrigation.’" (www.dpi.vic.gov.au)

Mr Davis said DPI Tatura has recently completed a two-year field experiment which compared water use and pasture production under both systems.

"The trials demonstrated a 20 per cent higher water efficiency for sprinkler irrigation compared to border check or flood irrigation, this supports earlier work which has shown efficiencies of up to 50 per cent," he said.

"Furthermore, the DPI’s annual report of 2002-2003 stated between the period of 2000 and 2003, $1.4 million had been spent on assisting farmers with converting from flood to spray irrigation.

"The statements from the Planning Minister contradict the advice being given to farmers and the community by the Bracks Government."

Mr Davis said the Minister’s comments also clashed with Water Minister John Thwaites, who has been advocating for more efficient water use, especially in the rural sector.

"This policy conflict shows Labor Ministers are confused and out of touch," he said.

"John Thwaites seems to be getting his own portfolios of Water and the Environment confused as well, because he is allowing the Planning Minister to change government policy on vegetation on his behalf with the restriction which limits the objective of improving water utilisation efficiency in his Water portfolio.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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