2018-08-31
Minister for Primary Industries Niall Blair has revealed at Budget Estimates today that there has been no additional funding allocated to improving the health of the Richmond River under the Government's marine estate strategy.
Nationals Parliamentary Secretary for Northern NSW Ben Franklin announced a 'funding pledge' earlier this month that the local community would benefit from a share in the $45.7 million of additional funding to deliver the first stage of the ten-year NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy.
However, the Minister has today confirmed no new funding has yet been allocated for the local river health improvements and no specific initiatives have been identified.
Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith said, "The Nationals have been exposed today as playing politics with the health of the Richmond River and no funds have been allocated for the river despite Ben Franklin's 'pledge'.
"The Richmond River is the sixth largest in all of NSW and is under pressure from intensive agriculture and urban development. The Greens and local community are concerned that if we don't act urgently, pollution will be pushed even higher, marine life will suffer and we may lose this important river, forever.
"There is no comprehensive, effective plan for the Richmond River from the Liberal/National Government.
"On the one hand, it has will spend $70,000 of funding on existing programs, but then it will place this investment at risk with a new 20-year forestry agreement that opens up 22,000ha of stream buffers for logging in headwaters north from the Hunter River.
"This is despite a recent Government report specifically identifying impacts on the Richmond River from clearing riparian and adjacent habitat and that it 'leads to sedimentation, nitrification, acid runoff and blackwater events after floods'[1].
"The Greens will always stand with the community for strong protection of the Richmond River, other local waterways and beaches and our precious environment. We're calling for a additional, strategic investment in evidence-based approach to protecting the Richmond River, including stream buffers of at least 30 metres wide to maintain water quality and stream health," she said.