Water Resources Review WelcomedThe Government’s decision is welcome news By Craig Ingram MP - 18th June 2002 - Back to News The Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has welcomed the Government’s announcement to appoint an independent panel to review decisions on the management of water resources in the state.
"The Government’s decision to appoint an independent panel of technical experts to review decisions on water resource management is welcome news," Mr Ingram said.
"There have been concerns raised by experts in groundwater and the farming community that volume estimates are inaccurate, in some cases by orders of magnitude.
"Some farmers in East Gippsland have been driven by frustration to fork out tens of thousands of dollars to get accurate technical advice on groundwater volumes.
"There have been complaints of both over and underestimates in the resource available.
"While there is this lack of confidence in the calculations of resource available no decisions can be made, let alone believed.
"I look forward to hearing exactly how the panel will work.
"It is important that the public have access to the independent panel’s advice and that any reports are tabled in parliament."
Mr Ingram believes that the Government should act to ensure all key natural resource management decisions are independently reviewed as a matter of course.
"I have called on the Premier in Parliament and written to Minister Garbutt to establish a process whereby all natural resource management decisions ought be independently audited," he said.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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