SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR E. G. WHITLAM, M. P..
TO THE MURRAY VALLEY DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE MEETING
PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANBERRA, TUESDAY 22 OCTOBER 1974
THANK YOU COUNCILLOR GEMMELL AND THANK YOU
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MURRAY VALLEY DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE FOR
ARRANGING THIS CONFERENCE TONIGHT ON A MATTER WHICH IS OF
CONCERN TO ALL OF US PRESENT.
THE MURRAY VALLEY DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE SINCE ITS
FORMATION IN 1944 HAS PROMOTED THE CONCEPT OF THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTER-STATE BODY TO COORDINATE THE
BALANCED DEVELOPMENT OF THE RIVER MURRAY AREAS. I UNDERSTAND
THAT MR VERN LAWRENCE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LEAGUE.
IN HIS THEN CAPACITY AS ORGANISING SECRETARY. WAS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE 1946 MURRAY VALLEY RESOURCES SURVEY COMMITTEE.
ESTABLISHED BY THE CHIFLEY LABOR GOVERNMENT AND THE
GOVERNMENTS OF NEW SOUTH WALES, VICTORIA AND SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
THE LEAGUE HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONCERNED WITH THE QUALITY OF THE
WATERS OF THE RIVER MURRAY AND ITS TRIBUTARIES AND IT IS
LEA POLICY THAT THE RIVER MURRAY COMMISSION SHOULD BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR WATER QUALITY.
-2-
THE RIVER MURRAY COMMISSION WAS, AS YOU ARE ALL
AWARE, FORMED NEARLY 60 YEARS AGO WHEN THE RIVER MURRAY
WATERS AGREEMENT WAS MADE. THE AGREEMENT WAS, AS NOTED
BY DR CLARK IN HIS MOST VALUABLE PAPER ON THE ADMINISTRATION
OF INTERSTATE RIVERS, " A PIONEERING AGREEMENT, NOT JUST FOR
AUSTRALIA, BUT FOR OTHER FEDERAL SYSTEMS IN THE COMMON LAW
WORLD", THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT COULD NOT HAVE SIGNED
THE RIVER MURRAY WATERS AGREEMENT IN 1914 AND THE
AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT COULD NOT HAVE PASSED THE RIVER
MURRAY WATERS ACT IN 1915 BUT FOR THE FACT THAT THE RIVER
WAS STILL BEING USED AT THAT TIME FOR INTER-STATE
NAVIGATION, A MATTER ON WHICH THE AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT
CAN MAKE LAWS.
THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT AND ACT ENTAILED A SMALLER
EXPENDITURE BY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT THAN BY EACH
OF THE STATE GOVERNMENTS. THE LEGISLATION WAS CONCERNED
WITH STORAGE OF THE RIVER'S WATERS AND LOCKS AND WEIRS
FOR NAVIGATION OF THE RIVER.
NOWADAYS THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO'INTERSTATE
NAVIGATION ON THE MURRAY, ACCORDINGLY, THE AUSTRALIAN
PARLIAMENT NOW HAS VERY TENUOUS, IF ANY, CONSTITUTIONAL
POWERS TO PASS LAWS WITH RESPECT TO THE MURRAY. IN
PARTICULAR, IT CANNOT BY ITSELF PASS LAWS CONCERNING
THE QUALITY OF THE WATERS AND THE USE OF THE REPARIAN
LANDS. / 2A
-2ATHE
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AGREES ENTIRELY
WITH THE VIEW PUT FORWARD BY THE LEAGUE THAT THE
RIVER MURRAY COMMISSION SHOULD BE GIVEN RESPONSIBILITIES
FOR WATER QUALITY IN THE RIVER MURRAY. I WOULD GO
EVEN FURTHER AND SAY THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR AN
INTER-STATE BODY TO CO-ORDINATE ALL ASPECTS OF WATER
USE AND MANAGEMENT AND TO TENDER ADVICE TO
GOVERNMENTS ON THE USE AND MANAGEMENT OF RELATED LANDS.
v / 3
-3-
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS ALSO AWARE OF THE CONCERN
ON THIS QUESTION THAT HAS BEEN EXPRESSED BY A WIDE RANGE
OF ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING SOME OF THE
HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF BOTH MAJOR PARTIES PRESENT HERE TONIGHT,
IT WAS THE SAME SORT OF CONCERN THAT THE PREMIEROF
SOUTH AUSTRALIA , MR DUNSTAN, CONVEYED TO ME IN HIS LETTER
ON 19 JANUARY 1973. IN RESPONSE TO THIS LETTER I CONVENED
A MEETING BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE PREMIERS OF NEW SOUTH
', IAL. ES, VICTORIA AND SOUTH AUSTRALIA ON 2 MARCH 1973 TO
DISCUSS THE RIVER MURRAY AND THE POWERS OF THE RIVER MURRAY
COMMISSION. AT THAT MEETING, ALL PREMIERS EXPRESSED CONCERN
OVER PRESENT AND POTENTIAL WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS IN THE
RIVER AND ALL SAID THAT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMISSION
SHOULD BE -INCREASED TO COPE WITH THESE PROBLEMS. WE. AGREED
Ar THE MEETING TO ESTABLISH A STEERING COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
OF THE FOUR GOVERNMENTS TO WHICH A WORKING PARTY OF OFFICERS
IS TO REPORT ON THESE MATTERS.
IN RETROSPECT I BELIEVE THE WORKING PARTY SHOULD
HAVE BEEN GIVEN A DEFINITE COMPLETION DATE; EIGHTEEN MONTHS
AFTERWARDS THE WORKING PARTY APPEARS TO HAVE ACHIEVED LITTLE.
I UNDERSTAND THE WORKING PARTY HAS ESTABLISHED
EXPERT COMMITTEES ON SALINITY, WATER QUALITY, IMPROVEDJ
IRRIGATION PRACTICES AND BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION. LAST YEAR
THE WORKING PARTY SUBMITTED AN INTERIM REPORT TO MINISTERS,
WHICH THEY ENDORSED AND WHICH MADE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS
REGARDING MINOR SALT MITIGATION WORK. A vss/
-4-
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORKING PARTY'S COMMITTEE DEALING WITH
WATER QUALITY IS LIKELY TO SUBMIT A REPORT BEFORE THE END
OF THE YEAR RECOMMENDING A WATER QUALITY MONITORING
NETWORK FOR THE MURRAY AND COMMENTING ON THE NEED FOR NEW
ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS TO CONTROL WATER QUALITY.
THE WORKING PARTY HAS ADOPTED THE POSITION THAT
IT CANNOT MAKE DEFINITE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THE FUNCTIONS
OF THE RIVER MURRAY COMMISSION SHOULD BE MODIFIED UNTIL IT
HAS IDENTIFIED THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH
THE MURRAY RIVER AND THEIR ROOT CAUSES. I'CERTAINLY DO NOT
ARGUE WITH THE LOGIC OF THIS POSITION; IT IS HOWEVER MY
STRONGLY HELD VIEW THAT THERE IS ALREADY MORE THAN ENOUGH
EVIDENCE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE CURRENT POWERS AND
FUNCTIONS OF THE RMC IN ASSOCIATION WITH STATE GOVERNMENT
POWERS HAVE PROVED TO BE INADEQUATE. THIS EVIDENCE IS
AVAILABLE BOTH IN TERMS OF TECHNICAL DATA AND IN ALMOST
UNANIMOUS EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN BY THE PEOPLE MOST
INTIMATELY CONNECTED WITH THE RIVER SUCH AS YOURSELVES.
I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT A MATTER IN NEED OF
REFORM IDENTIFIED 18 MONTHS AGO BY MYSELF AND THE PREMIERS
IS TAKING SO LONG TO BE EXAMINED. a.
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS FIRMLY CONVINCED
THAT THE WORKING PARTY SHOULD, IN PARALLEL WITH ITS TECHNICAL
INVESTIGATIONS, BE LOOKING AT THE MOST GENERAL CLAUSES OF
ITS TERMS OF REFERENCE, REQUIRING IT TO EXAMINE THE TYPES
OF MEASURES WHICH NEED TO BE TAKEN TO PROTECT AND IMPROVE
THE QUALITY OF THE RIVER MURRAY WATERS AND THE CHANGES WHICH
WOULD BE REQUIRED IN THE RIVER MURRAY WATERS AGREEMENT TO
ENABLE THE RIVER MURRAY COMMISSION TO UNDERTAKE SUCH
MEASURES, IN SUMMARY, THE WORKING PARTY SHOULD BE CONSIDERING
NOT WHETHER CHANGES SHOULD BE MADE IN THE RIVER MURRAY
WATERS AGREEMENT, BUT WHAT CHANGES,
THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION IS THAT SALINITY IN
THE MURRAY IS ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S MOST SERIOUS WATER POLLUTION
PROBLEMS, A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY IS TO BE SPENT IN TREATING
ADELAIDE'S WATER SUPPLY, BUT IT MAY SURPRISE MANY PEOPLE
TO LEARN THAT WHILE THIS WILL PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS
IN MANY RESPECTS TO THE QUALITY OF ADELAIDE'S WATER IT WILL
HAVE NO EFFECT WHATEVER ON THE SALINITY OF THE WATER BEING
USED BY THE RESIDENTS OF THAT CITY, THIS MOST INTRACTABLE
PROBLEM MUST THEREFORE BE DEALT WITH EITHER BY DIVERSION OF
SALINE WATERS FROM THE MURRAY RIVER, OR BY CHANGES IN LAND
USE AND IRRIGATION PRACTICES,
-6-
CONFLICTS OVER USE OF WATER IN THE REGION ARE
GOING TO INCREASE AS THE YEARS GO ON. AT THE PROJECTED
RATE OF INCREASE IN DEMAND, SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S POST
DARTMOUTH ENTITLEMENT WILL BE FULLY TAKEN UP BY THE YEAR
2000, TO DATE NO ONE HAS MADE A COMPREHENSIVE, INTEGRATED
EXAMINATION OF THE IMPLICATIONS WHICH DIFFERENT LAND USE
PATTERNS HAVE FOR WATER RESOURCES IN THE VALLEY. TWO OF THE
MOST SIGNIFICANT USES WHICH SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN SUCH AN
EXAMINATION ARE, OF COURSE, IRRIGATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT
OF URBAN GROWTH CENTRES SUCH AS ALBURY-WODONGA. SUCH AN
EXAMINATION MIGHT INDICATE THAT CHANGES IN EXISTING OR
PLANNED LAND USE ARE DESIRABLE IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE
QUALITY OF THE WATERS OF THE MURRAY SO THAT MAXIMUM BENEFICIAL
USE OF THE WATERS IN ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL
TERMS CAN BE OBTAINED FOR BOTH THE REGION AND THE NATION
AS A WHOLE. THIS MATTER HAS NOT BEEN INVESTIGATED BY THE
WORKING PARTY. DR CASS PUT IT TO THE MINISTERIAL STEERING
COMMITTEt LAST YEAR BUT THE STATE MINISTERS REJECTED'THE
PROPOSAL. THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS PROVIDING LARGE AMOUNTS
OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ALBURYWODONGA
AND MONARTO GROWTH CENTRES. ./ 7
-7-
IT IS IMPERATIVE OF COURSE THAT THESE DEVELOPMENTS
DO NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT THE QUALITY OF THE WATERS OF THE
RIVER MURRAY. I AM THEREFORE PLEASED THAT THE CITIES
COMMISSION HAS BEEN SUPERVISING WHAT MUST BE ONE OF THE
MOST COMPREHENSIVE WATER QUALITY STUDIES EVER UNDERTAKEN IN
AUSTRALIA IN RELATION TO THE ALBURY-WODONGA GROWTH CENTRE.
THE REPORT OF THIS STUDY WILL BE AVAILABLE LATER THIS YEAR
AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT IT WILL ENSURE THAT TREATMENT
SYSTEMS WILL BE SO IMPLEMENTED THAT ALBURY-WODONGA WILL NOT
HAVE SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE EFFECTS ON WATER QUALITY IN THE
RIVER MURRAY, WHEN I MET WITH THE PREMIERS OF NEW SOUTH WALES
AND VICTORIA ON 25 JANUARY 1973 IN ALBURY-WODONGA WE SAID
THAT SERVICES WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE
STANDARD TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF OTHER USERS OF THE
RIVER MURRAY; THIS STATEMENT I STILL STAND BY,
THE IMPLICATIONS OF OTHER FORMS OF LAND USE HAVE
NOT BEEN EVALUATED IN COMPARABLE DEPTH AND I SAY AGAIN
THAT AN OVERALL EXAMINATION OF LAND USE IN THE MURRAY REGION
IS ESSENTIAL, OUR POSITION IN RELATION TO MANAGEMENT OF
THE RIVER MURRAY IS CLEAR: THE RIVER MURRAY COMMISSION
SHOULD HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONTROL OF WATER QUALITY
IN THE RIVER MURRAY, FURTHER I BELIEVE THAT THE RIVER
MURRAY COMMISSION SHOULD HAVE CERTAIN RESPONSIBILITIES IN
RELATION TO ALL ASPECTS OF THE USE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE
WATERS OF THE RIVER MURRAY AND ITS RELATED LANDS,
-8-
IN A COMPLEX SYSTEM SUCH AS THE RIVER MURRAY VALLEY WITH
ITS VARIOUS INTER-RELATIONSHIPS IT IS SURELY SELF-EVIDENT
THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A BODY TO COORDINATE THE PLANNING
OF THESE VARIOUS ASPECTS. BECAUSE THE RIVER RUNS THROUGH
THREE STATES, AN INTERSTATE AGENCY SUCH AS AN EXPANDED
RIVER MURRAY COMMISSION IS CLEARLY REQUIRED. THIS CONCEPT
OF AN INTER-STATE BODY MANAGING WATER RESOURCES ON A RIVER
BASIN BASIS WOULD ACCORD WITH WORLDWIDE TRENDS IN THIS
DIRECTION EXEMPLIFIED BY THE DELAWARE AND SUSQUEHANNA RIVER
BASIN COMPACTS IN THE UNITED STATES, NEGOTIATED BY THE
STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS, AND THE RECENT ESTABLISHMENT
OF REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITIES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WOULD SEE SUCH A BODY
PRINCIPALLY PLAYING A CO-ORDINATING ROLE, MUCH OF I-TS
FUNCTION BEING OF AN ADVISORY OR DELIBERATIVE NATURE ONLY,
THE ORGANISATION MIGHT NEED SOME STRONG " LAST RESORT POWERS"
TO ENSURE ITS EFFECTIVENESS. HOWEVER, EXPERIENCE IN THE
UNITED STATES INDICATES THAT THESE ARE RARELY USED, IF AT ALL.
WE WOULD ALSO SEE SUCH A BODY HAVING A DEFINITE OBLIGATION
TO CONSULT WITH SUCH GROUPS AS THE MURRAY VALLEY DEVELOPMENT
LEAGUEI / 9
-9-
I AM SURE THAT ONE OF THE REASONS FOR LACK OF
INTEREST IN THIS BROADER APPROACH TO THE USE AND MANAGEMENT
OF THE RIVER MURRAY IS DUE TO A FEAR THAT SOME OF THE STATE
POWERS MAY BE FORFEITED TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHILE
STATE GOVERNMENTS COULD LOSE SOME OF THEIR RIGHT TO
INDIVIDUAL ACTION, I EMPHASISE THAT THESE RIGHTS WOULD
BE VESTED IN AN INTER-STATE BODY ACTING IN THE BEST
INTERESTS OF ALL CONCERNED. AS PUT SO WELL BY DR CASS
RECENTLY, THIS IS A CASE WHERE STATES' RIGHTS ARE NONSENSE; IT
IS PEOPLES' RIGHTS WHICH ARE IMPORTANT AND THAT MEANS ALL
THE PEOPLE DEPENDENT ON THE RIVER AND ITS RELATED LANDS
IN ALL THREE STATES.
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT CAN DO LITTLE IN THE
WAY OF DIRECT ACTION IN THIS AREA; CONSENSUS IS THE ONLY
WAY OF ACHIEVING ANYTHING. I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE MADE
SUGGESTIONS TO STATE GOVERNMENTS ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT
IS DESIRED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE MURRAY VALLEY. WE SHALL
CONTINUE TO PUT PROPOSALS BUT WE CAN DO LITTLE MORE. I URGE
E FEDERAL MEMBERS HERE TONIGHT, WHATEVER THEIR POLITICAL
PERSUASIONS, TO TAKE THIS MATTER UP WITH THEIR STATE
COLLEAGU'. WITH A VIEW TO CONVEYING A GREATER SENSE OF
URGENCY AND PRIORI,.
I HAVE SAID THAT I AM CONCERNED WITH THE LACK
OF PROGRESS OF THE WORKING PARTY. IF IN MARCH 1975 WHICH
WILL BE TWO YEARS AFTER MY MEETING WITH THE THREE PREMIERS
PROGRESS HAS BEEN UNSATISFACTORY, THEN I SHALL CALL FOR
A FURTHER MEETING WITH STATE PREMIERS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN
AGREEMENT ON AN ACCELERATED PROGRAM FOR COMPLETION OF
THE WORKING PARTY'S INVESTIGATIONS. THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE
OF DIRECT ACTION THAT I CAN TAKE.
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WOULD ALSO GIVE
SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO REQUESTS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
FROM STATE GOVERNMBENTS FOR MEASURES TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN
SATISFACTORY WATER QUALITY, BE THEY FOR ENGINEERING WORKS
OR FOR THE RESTRUCTURING OF LAND USE IN THE REGION.
SUCH REQUESTS WOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT POLICY TOWARDS WAT ER RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT. IN THIS CONTEXT I WOULD LIKE TO REPEAT A
SPECIFIC. OFFER MADE TO STATE MINISTERS By DR CASS LAST
YEAR WHICH WAS NOT TAKEN UP THE AUSTRALIAN GOV'ERNMENT
WILL PROV'IDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TOWARDS ANY STUDIES
IN THE REGION WHICH IT CONSIDERS WOULD CONTRIBUTE
SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE IMPROVED USE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE
RIVER MURRAY WATERS AND RELATED LANDS. BECAUSE STATE
GOVERNMENTS APPEAR TO BE CONCENTRATING ON ENGINEERING
STUDIES, THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WOULD PREFER TO FUND
STUDIES BIASED TOWARDS THE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
SC I ENCES. I / 11
-11-
SIXTY YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE THE SIGNING
OF THE ORIGINAL RIVER MURRAY WATERS AGREEMENT AND I
BELIEVE WE ARE AGAIN ABOUT TO ENTER A PERIOD OF CONFLICT
OVER THE USES OF THE RIVER MURRAY WATERSI TOGETHER
WITH INCREASING PRESSURES ON THE ENVIRONMENT. I DO NOT
BELIEVE THE PRESENT RIVER MURRAY COMMISSION OR EXISTING
STATE INSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE ABLE
TO COPE WITH THESE PROBLEMS AND I BELIEVE NEW ARRANGEMENTS
ARE NECESSARY, I URGE ALL PARTIES CONCERNED TO PROCEED AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO DEVELOP AN APPROACH TO THE
MANAGEMENT OF THE RIVER MURRAY WHICH WILL ENSURE THAT
THE WATERS ARE USED TO PROVIDE MAXIMUM REGIONAL AND
NATIONAL BENEFITS IN SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL
TERMS.