Murray Darling Catchment

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says Environment Minister Peter
Garrett must announce his decision on the fate of South Australia's
Lower Lakes.

After a ten-day period of public consultation late last year, Minister
Garrett had twenty working days to decide upon the appropriateness of
seawater flooding of Lakes Alexandrina and Albert. An announcement was

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called on Environment Minister Peter Garrett to be upfront with South Australians as to his decision on flooding the Lower Lakes with salt water.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says warnings that birds native to the Coorong are in danger of extinction point to an alarming lack of action on the lower Murray.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says ten days is not long enough for public consultation on the prospect of flooding South Australia's Lower Lakes with salt water.

Environment Minister Peter Garrett provided a ten-day period for public consultation which concludes today, and is set to decide whether or not he will approve salt water flooding by December 31 this year.

"Ten days for public consultation on such critical environmental, social and economic impacts is a joke, said Senator Hanson-Young.

The passage of the Water Amendment Bill through the Senate will not deliver the best outcomes for the future of the Murray Darling Basin, say the Australian Greens.

"The future health of the Murray Darling system is at stake here, and yet we are still seeing short-term parochial politics ruling in the face of dire circumstances," said Senator Rachel Siewert.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says that salt water flooding of South Australia's Lower Lakes would be environmentally, socially and economically disastrous for lower Murray communities.

The South Australian Government has requested advance approval from its federal counterparts to let sea water into Lakes Alexandrina and Albert if the drought continues.

The Rudd Government need to see sense on the Commonwealth Water Act, and adopt reasonable amendments passed by the Senate, say the Australian Greens.

"I am dismayed at Prime Minister Rudd's attitude to the future security of the Murray Darling Basin," said Senator Rachel Siewert.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called for Victorian Premier John Brumby to stick to the facts on Murray-Darling water and not resort to public relations spin.

The Australian Greens have urged Water Minister Penny Wong to rise above
parochial politics and live up to her role of leading the nation on
water policy, saying the House of Representatives should accept the
amendments passed by the Senate today.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said she was surprised to find

 The Australian Greens are appalled that the Nationals have buckled to
mining industry pressure to allow mining exploration under prime farming
land without a water sustainability study.

Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown, who today moved amendments to the Water
Amendment Bill, originally proposed in the lower house by New England