E&OE...
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There has been very strong and positive reaction to the Government's historic $10 billion plan to fix the great challenge of water security in Australia.
And the reason for this positive response, which has come from amongst others, many environmentalists, irrigators and farm organisations, is that the plan tackles head on, in a comprehensive, properly funded way, the two great challenges we have in the area of water use in agricultural Australia.
The first of these is the massive loss of water through evaporation, seepage and other happenings. It's estimated that up to 30 per cent of water in the irrigation systems of Australia is lost or wasted in this fashion.
The other great problem that the plan tackles is that of the over allocation of water. This has been ignored for years and can only be tackled through additional funding and a determination to have a sensible sharing of the burdens of adjustment.
So by tackling both of these fundamental problems the Government has put on the table a long range, well funded plan that will provide a lasting solution.
It will not, of course, work unless there are new governance arrangements and that is why we seek a referral of powers from the relevant states and territories to the Commonwealth to manage, overall, the Murray Darling Basin system. I'll write very shortly to the Premiers and Chief Ministers with my plans in this area.
This bold, visionary attempt by the Commonwealth to fix one of Australia's great conservation challenges has won widespread support in the Australian community and I earnestly hope that I can have the full cooperation of Premiers and Chief Ministers to solve once and for all, over time, a great national challenge.
[ends]
Listen to this speech (MP3 - 2.0Mb - 123secs)