WALLACE SAYS URGENTLY COMPLETE CSIRO STUDY INTO BORDER RIVERS AND CONDAMINE/BALONNE

Queensland Water Minister Craig Wallace today called on the Howard Government to urgently complete a CSIRO study into water plans for Queensland’s BorderRivers and Condamine/Balonne river system.

Mr Wallace said he hoped the CSIRO study could be completed by the end of next month.

Resource Operations Plans (ROPs) for the BorderRivers and Condamine/Balonne are on hold as part of discussions between Queensland and the Commonwealth over the Murray-DarlingBasin.

“These are complex plans which were prepared over a long time, with the close and constructive involvement of irrigators,” Mr Wallace said.

“Irrigators in the Condamine/Balonne and on the Border Rivers are justifiably anxious for the plans to be finalised,” he said.

“The Beattie Government supports our irrigators who understandably want certainty on this issue.”

Mr Wallace said State National Party members had gone to water on the issue and had not supported irrigators.

“They are scared to rock the boat in a Federal election year,” he said.

“This would not have happened with the National Party of old.”

Mr Wallace said it was important that the CSIRO study be done quickly to maintain support by Queensland irrigators for basin-wide planning under the Commonwealth plan.

The BorderRivers and Condamine/Balonne ROPs were prepared by the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water in consultation with stakeholders.

The plans provide secure water entitlements for irrigators and provide for environmental flows to maintain river health.

The BorderRivers and Condamine/Balonne system feed into the Murray-DarlingBasin.

Queensland has agreed to hand over control of its part of the Murray-DarlingBasin to the Commonwealth as part of a $10 billion agreement.

The following states take the following percentages of water from the Murray-DarlingBasin: NSW 55%, Victoria 34%, South Australia 6% and Queensland 5%.

“Queensland irrigators have done the right thing by participating in good faith in detailed water planning,” Mr Wallace said.

“They have a right to know where they stand as quickly as possible.”

Media inquiries: Paul Childs, Craig Wallace’s office, on 0407 131 654.