THE INTENT OF THE WATER ACT: WHERE IS THE CONFUSION?

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MEDIA RELEASE


24th February 2011


The intent of the Water Act: where is the confusion?



National public water rights and environmental advocacy group, Fair
Water Use (Australia), urges the Senate inquiry into the intent of the
Water Act, to consider the actual definition of the verbs "ensure" and
"optimise", as applied to the following fundamental objects of the
Act:



to promote the use and management of the Basin water resources in a
way that optimises economic, social and environmental outcomes



to ensure the return to environmentally sustainable levels of
extraction for water resources that are overallocated or
overused



Definition (Collins English Dictionary):

Optimise: to find the best compromise amongst conflicting
requirements

Ensure: to guarantee; to make safe or secure; to protect


Coordinator of Fair Water Use (Australia), Ian Douglas, commented
today, "In effect, the Water Act, and therefore the Basin Plan, is
obliged to promote the use and management of the Basin water resources
in a way that finds the best compromise for the Basin as a whole,
whilst guaranteeing the return to environmentally sustainable levels
of extraction for water resources that are overallocated or overused,
and also protecting, restoring and providing for the ecological values
and ecosystem services of the Murray-Darling Basin".

"Several experts, including constitutional lawyer, Professor George
Williams, have already indicated that they are of the firm opinion
that the Act prioritises environmental water requirements," he
continued.

Dr Douglas concluded, "Only by ensuring the environmental health of
the Murray-Darling will the social and economic fabric of the Basin be
maintained for generations to come".


On behalf of all Australians who seek to put an end to the longterm
degradation of the Murray-Darling river system, Fair Water Use asks -
where is the confusion?



Authorised by:

Ginny Brown (Media Coordinator)
me...@fairwateruse.com.au
+61 (0)8 8398 0812 /(0)4 1602 2178