I' 16 October 1.9817n
,~ NEW 1RIVriR MURRAY WATE~ RS AGREEE4T
The Prime Minister, Mr. Malcolm Fraser, said today in Melbourne
that he wias pleased that a new River Murray Waters Agreemnt
has been settled..
fi " The new~ River Murray Waters Agreement would be-44e-keynotv f
the Commonwealth's involvement with Victoria, New South ' Wales
and South Australia it) dealing with salinity problems. in.ñ he..
Murray Valley", the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister was speaking after a meeting at which be ant
th Minuister for National Development and Eniergy, Senator J. L.
Carrick, had met with State Premiers of.-. New U1th at
Victoria and South Austr~ alia and their Water Resources
* Ministers to discuss River Murray wattors.
K'The new Agreement would place new responisibilities-on---the--+% i.---
A Murray ConMission. In particular, the Commission would. formulate
water quality objectives arnd standards for any part of the
r-Riv-er-Murfay.' It would also make assessme'nts of the
implications of new developments which could have a significant
iVui4U-on -wetter quality in the River and make representations
. p on any proposals which might adversely af fect water quality.
The new Agre-ement would allow the further development of
strategies to reduce salinity and other water quality problems
in the River to manageab e. proportion6.
IThe Prime Minister said that now that Peads of Government had
reache4-a& geement-ort th~ iferrs of the now Agreement the
principles would be applied immediately on an interim basis
pending the complet4o~ n-f-ñ ei31ativc-proceEsses. This meant
that to all intents and purposes the River Murray CoMmission
Fwould be authorised to assume its new responsibilities
Mr. Fr aer said thnt there were already signs that recent
initiatives by the four governments are gradually becoming effec
tive. lr7ru~ iementF, will be accelerated by the new Agreement.
I i l
Iater quality beyo dtihgl e River Mwuj.): ay Cruisooverthe
reccIlt severe J: okkqht iwlicatect that sa). inity lc-ve]. s tlf-re
lower than iji pi~ eviom; conmpayirbth-dj: y period13s. It appe~ ar's that
tis comparatil/ e inprovcemnt j-s due~ to the-inIjtial opperatIons,
of Dartmnouth Damr and tho effectivenems of aly.' ay com~ pleted N
salinity conrl. ioh The heavy ): in since the be~ gillningi
of June are having~ a ve) y be. f icial f lushing ef fect onthe
river system finc adeqjuate water supplies of. good qual) ity
should~ be ali. labl next seat-on,
Fraser said that the Commiuniwalth and States' concern f or
the economlo~ awl. envi)., ovnmntal health of, the Rive)* Murray has
been backed tip -by strcng acinover : irecent Y~
aboiut $ 35 million w~ is pr: ovided~ c foy: the cons-. truc:. on of.
Darti~ o~ ith Dapi-and over $ 26 mill. ion in 10oa11 fundt; was
Provided to the sStt-c0 se to Im1p them r," ee. t thteir
respective sba-, Cs of the C05L of the project.
the fv wth amis 11o1w abot two,~ thirds full by
almost dloubling' thc rshae stor. 3, je, kk10k~ the
colty. o 3-. of thte-4iiver Muric~ y Comzd-Ission, itL % will ell'hle
th -1 NX;~ isIoI$ 11 to PUr-ISue a n~ brof river mallaeient
objecti. v s not pireviously possllhle, inolvding (. iluU. on1
Of I'i'. Er-aiiy
in addcition, arisinq~ fvovi the 3.979 Kcaursefl. Report on
Murray \' 44ey Salinit. y and EDrainajre3, about $ 36 rt3. ilion
has bee n spent, o amjor ni salinity control projCt
in t KAuriay ' Vali,: y sinc., e July 1.978 the Corp-ionwea). th
has pro'. ided roillim an~ there are mratchingj
contx . ihut. ons by th tt,~
V: t ~ e c~' L ec~.' nc~~~ din tho 1979 M-amunsl. P-epo~
i~ s thqh k9ho prior. tDy arje vjrci co irp). i ted or Q~ Ie
ar~ dailtiu~ n~ ). cotro prOjctSin & C-corda nce witjI
A -Pr Qi 3. i~ sidcsi. ifieA b th S Li in conjtticULion oi. tI
the River Murray Commission.-
The Prirte hfiristex said that all Gover: nments had agreed that
improved irE igqAti~ on practi.; wereO~ a fundaien ta] olement in
reduoin~ j sali). ty problem~ s in the Murray Rivei' Vaclley and iL
w,, as esseritizi). that rapid p): ogress was ri,, ade'in thi)' s regard.
AMinisters had zxgreed-t-here-fore that. offiocials shol). d review th e
ex tebt to which irrigators weve adopting improv/ ed practices to
V* eduoe salinity and the possible need for additional. incent'ives
to hasten to adoptionr-of new pr. actices.
In this context, the Prime Minister: ) efr. red tUr-th-p-new Ita; ation
co4) cess ions wh ieli-te4opicne) hhad introduced ill April
and December 198() to encouryage irrigator: s to improve their
i).' rtqation pricrticePs and salinlity control. Thiese concessions
allowed the full write-off of c p,[. endjiture; 3Sn the, sam~ e year a 8
the expond," iture occurred, ' rihii: g* e: neirou concession was al. ready
h ill place and. % Wts erj. cou .9n toys to.-5rrove their.-
practices andI to Combat salinit.
The Prime Minister said that before any fuivthe deisions are
considered onl a major follow-up to the cui-rent iirtplementatikon
œ of the Maunsoll plan of action, some titie is needced to assess
the effcti" eness of the hiqjh pri~ jority procijcts ) 1ow0 underyway,
the ful~ l intc9L'at3. on of the Dartmouth Dam -into the oper: ations
of the Ri~ ver Murray ComIi~ oP, improv. ed i) rrijgat-on practice's
and the flew watey. qUality respo: n,-bi. xties1 of the Rliver 1Mrray
Co() rm iss9i on . Iten these as; sessments bccoame possible, the
Conirnonicalth will give careful consideration to proposals for
further sa). ivity Control projects in the MurrE~ ay Valley.
The Prime Minister said that. to hasten this pr. oceSs of assessmvicnt
the JRiv., Murray Corrrnissio-n is ~ n~ gvg os3tnsto,
elp a ma~ hc~ tiaYcpi~ r nocel hic Wil nable thu
C~;~ t3s~ 1cnto si~ lth . e opcra-tiol ol ths whol. Ri. vcr 1Iiirra
sys tern in terrms, not only, of itvt r f low7 and storage changes;, but
1lso Nwziter cTl Ih-yIi s T1ic3100 3.1 e nabl. e-the C :%, moriwea Ith
ani State cnve :, ients. to c* al~. nc all. avais) lable options for new
,1 4,
initiatives in managing t rivcr, haviiig regard to both water
cluatity and cluaJity.
WJhije the Comnmonvicalthi is making a significant cortribution te?
conmbatting balinity in the River Muri-ay, it js made an equaly." y
important contribution to helpinq Souith Australia improve the
quality of river water skipplies for urban pu: qoses. By the qndof
thi. s financial year, over million wI. ll have been pro-.,
vicled towards the cozt; of a filtratioon scheiii for Adelaide
reduce turbidity in water supplies an, at the Same time,
irrprove both the taste aiid odour of trecated water for. Oomesl: j. c
pur-poses.
" The Riverv Murray Watiers Agreent his worked to the advantage
of all three States over the paast 60 year.' s or so, and its
Yrevision to met today's reqLrircements is a milestoe in
co-operative rnagement of the PIver's water and in impro'dniig
watur quality in the River the Prim-Minister coicluded.
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