Mrs MILLER - 2007-10-17
A report released today by Professor Bob Wasson has set out that the reason for silting of the Daly River is the result of increased rainfall, which has increased steadily since 1975, seeing the river becoming wider and shallower, and not as a result of farming practices or land clearing. The report found that the increase in sand is a result of sandstone wearing. Considering this significant finding, will you now remove the three-year-old moratorium on land clearing in the Douglas Daly region?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Katherine. I acknowledge the great work done by John Childs and the Daly River Management Committee, DR MAC as we refer to them. They have undertaken comprehensive research on the catchment of the Daly, what it can sustain in the future in horticulture, agriculture and cattle grazing opportunities, and understanding the science that underpins that so that we can go ahead with future development in the region without making the mistakes that we have seen made down south and end up with a situation like the Murray-Darling Basin, which is quite catastrophic. They are spending millions of dollars trying to resurrect that river system and environment. We will not be making the mistake that southern states have made. We will proceed with the DR MAC process.
This government is on the record as saying that the moratorium is nearing its conclusion. I have had an initial report from DR MAC that talks about what types of issues would need to be considered within a lifting of the land-clearing moratorium. The government has worked with all key stakeholders in the Daly River catchment area. We have indicated to them that we are very aware that we will need to make a decision about the moratorium towards the end of this year to give landholders some certainty.
We will be proceeding as we have proceeded, cautiously and carefully, based on scientific data and on a highly consultative process that has occurred in that region. DR MAC has all of the stakeholders represented on it. They have had very good meetings and have had detailed discussions with officers from my agency, Natural Resources and the Environment, to talk about a cascade-type model, the model that has been considered between DR MAC and officers in my agency that will ultimately come to Cabinet for discussion. If we go down that path, it will end up establishing some world’s best practice.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Katherine. I acknowledge the great work done by John Childs and the Daly River Management Committee, DR MAC as we refer to them. They have undertaken comprehensive research on the catchment of the Daly, what it can sustain in the future in horticulture, agriculture and cattle grazing opportunities, and understanding the science that underpins that so that we can go ahead with future development in the region without making the mistakes that we have seen made down south and end up with a situation like the Murray-Darling Basin, which is quite catastrophic. They are spending millions of dollars trying to resurrect that river system and environment. We will not be making the mistake that southern states have made. We will proceed with the DR MAC process.
This government is on the record as saying that the moratorium is nearing its conclusion. I have had an initial report from DR MAC that talks about what types of issues would need to be considered within a lifting of the land-clearing moratorium. The government has worked with all key stakeholders in the Daly River catchment area. We have indicated to them that we are very aware that we will need to make a decision about the moratorium towards the end of this year to give landholders some certainty.
We will be proceeding as we have proceeded, cautiously and carefully, based on scientific data and on a highly consultative process that has occurred in that region. DR MAC has all of the stakeholders represented on it. They have had very good meetings and have had detailed discussions with officers from my agency, Natural Resources and the Environment, to talk about a cascade-type model, the model that has been considered between DR MAC and officers in my agency that will ultimately come to Cabinet for discussion. If we go down that path, it will end up establishing some world’s best practice.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016