MURRAY DARLING BASIN AUTHORITY FIASCO:SCIENTISTS WALK AWAY IN PROTEST

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Dear Readers,

The long, painful saga of the Murray Darling has taken another turn
for the worse.

GETUP has taken up the challenge to get a myopic nation and
misinformed, weak government to try and see reason before total
disaster strikes our iconic river system and the once productive food
bowl we rely so much upon.

Today it was revealed that key scientists have walked away from the
government's Murray Darling Basin Authority process in protest.

Right now the Murray Darling Basin Authority is in the final stages of
recommending how to deal with the water crisis in the Murray Darling.
But shockingly, scientists tell us that the Authority is preparing to
announce environmental water flows so low they won't save our nation's
food bowl. Worse still, the Authority has cancelled all independent
scientific review of the Government's Murray Darling plan in an
attempt to cover up its lack of environmental credibility.

The Wentworth Group of Scientists have just resigned from the process
in protest1 - but they need public support. That's where GetUp members
can make a difference. In a few weeks the Basin Authority will
announce its plan. Let's create a huge public petition to the
Environment Minister, Tony Burke, demanding that the Government bring
back scientific review before it's too late:

www.getup.org.au/campaigns/murray-darling/petition/save-the-basin

The Murray Darling Basin has been sucked dry by decades of over
extraction. Despite recent rain and floods the Murray Darling Basin is
on the brink of ecosystem collapse. Already over 90% of the floodplain
wetlands have been destroyed along with native fish and bird
populations.

Without a basis in science the basin plan could lock in the death of
over a quarter of the iconic river red gums on the Murray. This would
spell disaster for the internationally recognised wetlands on the
river.

Scientists and sustainable famers can't fix this situation alone.
Their voices are being ignored. But if we all join with them, we can't
be ignored so easily. Sign this petition to call on Environment
Minister Tony Burke to bring back the science:

www.getup.org.au/campaigns/murray-darling/petition/save-the-basin

We can't let the opportunity to save our most precious waterways be
wasted by bureaucrats wanting to take the easy option and ignore the
science under pressure from the heavy irrigators. Please join the
petition to help back up the scientists.

Thanks for taking action,
The GetUp team

PS - Click here to read the full statement the Wentworth Group of
Concerned Scientists provided to GetUp explaining why they pulled out
of the Murray Darling-Basin Authority (MDBA) process.

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1 The Age 'Key scientists cast doubt on Murray water return', Richard
Willingham. May 21, 2011.