New report forces attention back onto sustainable water planning for WA

The Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce report ‘Sustainable Development of Northern Australia’ has at long last buried the calls for water megaprojects in the north of Western Australia as the solution to Western Australia’s water woes, Greens MLC Alison Xamon and spokesperson for Water said today.  The focus for the future of water in WA must now move back to economic and environmental sustainability.

The NALWT was established by the Federal Government to examine environmental, social and economic opportunities in Northern Australia.  It establishes a far reaching sustainable vision for the future of these precious landscapes in line with the principles of sustainable water accounting as espoused by the National Water Initiative.

“Colin’s Canal and Ernie Bridge’s pipe are last century thinking that have been finally laid to rest,” Ms Xamon said.

“Water resources in the north of the State are not unlimited and neither are they wasted.  Free-flowing rivers provide immense opportunities for indigenous management of landscapes, tourism and a careful consideration of pastoral expansion.” 

“The myth about a potential South Asian food bowl in the north of the State has also been exposed.”

The report urges a complete re-examination of agricultural production practices to focus on landscape resilience and carbon sequestration in native intact woodlands.   Close management of water availability, water use and a precautionary approach to development, with much more water resource investigation is needed to generate data.

“Water use efficiency must be the intense focus for Western Australia from this moment forth.  There is no big bucket of water that we can just hope will appear.  In the face of climate change and after the hottest summer on record WA must become much smarter in using the limited water we have and focus on real solutions to our water shortages instead of pipedreams.”

“The time has come for the government of Western Australia to stop miming words about how special the Kimberley is, to stop regarding the Kimberley as one immense quarry and start providing sustainable and respectful economic and environmental opportunities for all communities in the north of the State.”

Farmers, cattlemen, indigenous, and environment groups have all supported the recommendations of the taskforce.