ID :
83409
Wed, 10/07/2009 - 14:50
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/83409
The shortlink copeid
Water-saving scheme angers irrigators
The announcement of a $300 million water-saving grants scheme aimed at helping
farmers in the Murray Darling Basin has angered irrigators and brought ridicule over
a technical glitch.
Federal Climate Change and Water Minister Penny Wong released the program guidelines
on Tuesday, saying the money would help irrigation communities adjust to a future
with less water.
"The Rudd government is getting on with the job of preparing for a future with less
rain because of climate change," Senator Wong said.
"Central to our plan to get the Murray-Darling Basin back onto sustainable footing
is a strong and vibrant future for our irrigation communities," she said.
"We are investing in irrigation infrastructure to help our farmers and regional
communities and protect food security."
Under the On-Farm Irrigation Infrastructure scheme - part of the $5.8 billion
Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure program - farmers investing in
water-saving practices and technology will receive supporting grants.
Grant applications are now open for irrigators in the southern basin and the Lachlan
River catchment.
But the NSW Irrigators' Council reacted angrily, saying they were left out of the
planning process.
"The commonwealth provided no advance notice to irrigators as to when the
application guidelines would be available and have today (Tuesday) announced that
applications will close in six weeks," council chief executive Andrew Gregson said
in a statement.
He said potential delivery partners would need more time to understand the program
and their potential liability before putting together applications, which would take
longer than six weeks.
Federal opposition water spokesman Greg Hunt said the program got off to a rocky
start and is an indication of what is to come.
Reports emerged that people were unable to access the guidelines on the government's
website following Senator Wong's announcement.
"An embarrassing computer glitch today typified the Rudd government's lack of action
on water spending for the Murray Darling Basin," Mr Hunt said in a statement.
"When people went to the website to read the guidelines, they received this error
message: 'Error 404 - Sorry, the page you are looking for was not found'."
Senator Wong said the projects must help secure a long-term sustainable future for
irrigation communities and deliver substantial and lasting returns of water to the
environment to improve river health.
farmers in the Murray Darling Basin has angered irrigators and brought ridicule over
a technical glitch.
Federal Climate Change and Water Minister Penny Wong released the program guidelines
on Tuesday, saying the money would help irrigation communities adjust to a future
with less water.
"The Rudd government is getting on with the job of preparing for a future with less
rain because of climate change," Senator Wong said.
"Central to our plan to get the Murray-Darling Basin back onto sustainable footing
is a strong and vibrant future for our irrigation communities," she said.
"We are investing in irrigation infrastructure to help our farmers and regional
communities and protect food security."
Under the On-Farm Irrigation Infrastructure scheme - part of the $5.8 billion
Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure program - farmers investing in
water-saving practices and technology will receive supporting grants.
Grant applications are now open for irrigators in the southern basin and the Lachlan
River catchment.
But the NSW Irrigators' Council reacted angrily, saying they were left out of the
planning process.
"The commonwealth provided no advance notice to irrigators as to when the
application guidelines would be available and have today (Tuesday) announced that
applications will close in six weeks," council chief executive Andrew Gregson said
in a statement.
He said potential delivery partners would need more time to understand the program
and their potential liability before putting together applications, which would take
longer than six weeks.
Federal opposition water spokesman Greg Hunt said the program got off to a rocky
start and is an indication of what is to come.
Reports emerged that people were unable to access the guidelines on the government's
website following Senator Wong's announcement.
"An embarrassing computer glitch today typified the Rudd government's lack of action
on water spending for the Murray Darling Basin," Mr Hunt said in a statement.
"When people went to the website to read the guidelines, they received this error
message: 'Error 404 - Sorry, the page you are looking for was not found'."
Senator Wong said the projects must help secure a long-term sustainable future for
irrigation communities and deliver substantial and lasting returns of water to the
environment to improve river health.
