Victoria Minister for Water Peter Walsh

Victoria Minister for Environment and Climate Change Ryan Smith

Victor P Taffa

New CMA Board Members Appointed

Water Minister Peter Walsh and Environment and Climate Change Minister Ryan Smith today announced the appointment of new directors to the boards of Victoria’s 10 Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs).

“We are pleased to announce 39 new directors and welcome back the nine directors who have been reappointed.” Mr. Walsh said.

“Candidates went through a rigorous selection process in which three independent panels shortlisted and interviewed the applicants.

“These directors bring with them a wealth of experience from a range of relevant backgrounds.”

“Their local knowledge and independent expertise will provide an invaluable contribution to Victoria’s natural resource management and engagement with community groups, landholders, farmers and businesses.”

Mr. Smith said more than 190 expressions of interest were received this year for the positions.

“CMAs have a very important role to play in advising government of community priorities on land, biodiversity and waterway management.” Mr. Smith said.

“They bring to the table valuable knowledge about how we can protect and sustain our environment. I look forward to working with both the new and reappointed board directors to implement government priorities and manage our important natural assets.”

The appointment of the new directors comes after the chairs of the boards were announced in July this year. Each board consists of a chairperson and up to eight members, with directors appointed for either two or four years.

CMAs and their boards are set up under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 and are accountable to the Minister for Environment and Climate Change and the Minister for Water.

 

VIC Minister for Environment & Climate Change Ryan Smith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corangamite CMA

Ms Alice Knight Chair

Mr Ian Crook New member

Mr James Dennis New member

Mr Patrick O’Callaghan New member

Ms Virginia Wallace New member

Mr Richard Riordan New member

Mr Hugh Stewart New member

Mr Tony Mahoney Existing member

Ms Marie Thornton Existing member

East Gippsland CMA

Dr Peter Veenker Chair

Mr Bill Bulmer New member

Ms Kate Young New member

Mr Ken Norris New member

Mr Neville Penrose New member

Mr John Groom Re-appointed member

Ms Helen Bull Existing member

Mr Ross Ingram Existing member

Dr Nicola Watts Existing member

Glenelg Hopkins CMA

Mr Michael Wagg Chair

Mrs Roma Britnell New member

Mr Michael Craig New member

Mr Vincent Gannon New member

Mr Jason Ritchie New member

Mrs Coralie Coulson Reappointed member

Ms Deborah Shea Existing member

Mr John Sherwood Existing member

Mr Mark Wootton Existing member

Goulburn Broken CMA

Mr Peter Ryan Chair

Dr John Craven New member

Mr Michael Dalmau New member

Mrs Ailsa Fox New member

Mr Alexander MacKenzie New member

Mr Ross Runnalls New member

Mrs Catherine Silverstein New member

Mr Murray Chapman Existing member

Mr Russell Pell Existing member

Mallee CMA

Mrs Sharyon Peart Chair

Mr Paul Grigg New member

Mr Eddie Lee Reappointed member

Mr Anthony Martin Reappointed member

Mr Geoffrey Anderson Reappointed member

Mr John Arnold Existing member

Mr Brian Englefield Existing member

Ms Paula Gordon Existing member

Mr Bruce Jones Existing member

Visit www.premier.vic.gov.au for more news

North Central CMA

Mr David Clark Chair

Mr James Williams New member

Mr Laurence Maxted New member

Ms Julie Slater New member

Miss Prue Addlem New member

Mr Stuart McLean Reappointed member

Ms Christine Brooke Existing member

Ms Melanie McCarthy Existing member

Mr Donald Naunton Existing member

North East CMA

Mrs Lynette Coulston Chair

Ms Susan Benedyka Existing member

Mr Paul Carrick Existing member

Mr Bernard Young Existing member

Mr Anthony Jarvis Re-appointed member

Ms Tammy Atkins New member

Mr Benjamin Clifton New member

Ms Maureen Rogers New member

Mrs Rhonda Serpell New member

Port Phillip and Westernport CMA

Mr Neville Goodwin Chair

Mr Bill Jaboor Existing member

Mr Lance Jennison Existing member

Ms Jane Jobe Existing member

Ms Jacquelyn Ross Existing member

Mr Peter Akers Existing member

Ms Laura Mumaw New member

Ms Kay Spierings Re-appointed member

Mr Arron Wood Re-appointed member

West Gippsland CMA

Mr Angus Hume Chair

Mr Ian Hill New member

Mr Warrick Wilson New member

Mr Mike Haughton New member

Mrs Christine Holland New member

Mr John Anderson Existing member

Mr Alexander Arbuthnot Existing member

Mr Ian Gibson Existing member

Dr Barbara Johnson Existing member

Wimmera CMA

Mrs Karen Douglas Chair

Mrs Jessica Adler New member

Mrs Amity Dunstan New member

Mr Damien Holmes New member

Mr Ewan Letts New member

Mrs Emelia Sudholz New member

Ms Emily Anderson Existing member

Mr Ken Dowsley Existing member

Mr Geoff Michell Existing member

Western Australia Minister for Water Graham Jacobs

New permanent winter sprinkler bans to secure our water resources

Victor P Taffa

Western Australia Water Minister Graham Jacobs today announced a permanent winter sprinkler ban from June 1 to August 31.

The decision followed a successful two-month trial ban during July and August last year, with an estimated 2.2 Billion litres of water saved.

This is equivalent to filling 880 Olympic-sized pools or enough to supply Manjimup or Collie with water for a year.

“The result of the ban was an outstanding community achievement because, while there was reasonably consistent rain, we were still well below the long-term average.” Dr. Jacobs said.

“Last year’s trial was definitely a success with an independent survey indicating 93 % community support.”

The Minister appealed to Perth households and businesses to embrace the permanent ban with the same enthusiasm, pointing out the city had just experienced its hottest and driest summer on record.

“We are in a good supply position right now with the dams still at 40 % capacity and the Perth Seawater Desalination Plant operating consistently at full pace so the State has water in the bank.” the Minister said.

“However, it would be a shame to waste any of it unnecessarily.”

Dr. Jacobs said for the financial year to date, water use was still about four Billion litres inside target for the Perth region.

“This is a good result, but we must continue the great work conserving our water reserves.” Dr. Jacobs said.

Following the experience of the 2009 trial, the boundary for future winter sprinkler bans had been limited to the Perth-Mandurah area and the South-West.

“The boundary was determined using evapo-transpiration rates and rainfall data and based on local government boundaries for ease of management and communication.” the Minister said.

“The winter sprinkler ban will not apply to the Goldfields and Kalbarri where temperatures are higher and there is less winter rainfall.”

While the winter sprinkler ban dates are in line with climatic conditions, the Minister is able to alter them annually depending on rainfall and subsequent water availability. 

Outside the winter period, the existing water efficiency measures (i.e. the two and three day per week watering rosters and daytime sprinkler bans) will continue to apply.

Dr. Jacobs said that during the trial ban, feedback showed bore users needed to be able to regularly operate bores for short periods for maintenance.  This would be permitted under new by-laws.

  

 

Victoria Shadow Minister for Country Water Resources Peter Walsh

WATER GRAB LEAVES TOWNS AT RISK

Victor P Taffa

The Brumby Government is putting the health of Northern Victorian communities at risk, Shadow Minister for Country Water Resources and Deputy Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh said today.

Mr Walsh said Labor’s decision to take 20 Billion litres of water from Lake Eildon to pump to Melbourne was reckless when new alerts showed blue-green algal blooms were spreading in the Murray River.

“New warnings have shown high levels of potentially toxic blue-green algae in the Murray River.” Mr Walsh said.

“Communities from the Hume Dam to Cobram are already on red alert, which means people are being advised to avoid contact with river water.

“Towns along the river are being forced to treat their water supply with power-activated carbon to minimise the risk of gastroenteritis and skin and eye irritations.

“Further downstream a very high amber alert has been issued for the stretch of river between Cobram and Echuca, which would indicate the algae is spreading.”

Mr Walsh said in a normal year water from the Eildon Water Quality Reserve would be used to flush the river if the toxins continued to spread downstream of Echuca.

“The Brumby Government is taking water from the reserve so that it doesn’t look foolish, and in doing so is leaving Northern Victorian communities exposed to health risks.” Mr Walsh said.

 “Last year a stretch of 800 kilometres of the river was put on red alert and the blooms spread downstream of Swan Hill because the government held back 10 Billion litres of water for the North-South pipeline.

 “It is looting a further 10 Billion litres from this year’s water quality reserve despite the fact that Melbourne has two years’ worth of water supply in its storages.”

 “The Brumby Government does not need this water. The Premier is looting it from stressed rivers because he is afraid of the political backlash he’s going to receive when voters realise he has spent $750 Million of taxpayers’ money on a pipeline that isn’t needed.” Mr Walsh said.

The question that should be asked of the Brumby Government is why the North-South pipeline cannot have an extending pipeline and pumping system to feed into the Murray River?