DevelopmentsIrrigationRegional Water CycleWater Conservation

Poll Indicates Lack of Confidence in Murray-Darling Basin Authority Plans

by Ian Douglas

Initial results of an ongoing on-line poll on water policy in Australia raise concerns that the majority of Australians are far from convinced that the draft Basin Plan, soon to be released by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, will be successful in its aims.

The poll, coordinated by Fair Water Use Australia, currently indicates that 65% of respondents believe that there is a low or very low likelihood that a less than 3000 gigalitre increase in environmental water allocation will prove effective in addressing the longterm degradation of the Murray-Darling river system.

In addition, only 9% of respondents to date believe that the MDBA is being allowed to develop its plan free from political pressure and 65% are of the opinion that the Australian Constitution should be amended to specifically protect water as a common good.

On being asked about the significance of these figures, FWU coordinator, Ian Douglas, commented today, “The poll has been running for less than a week, so obviously no firm conclusions can be drawn as yet”.

“We are making a concerted effort to encourage input from as broad a spread of the community as possible, to ensure that the poll will truly reflect the wide range of opinions on the issue”, he added.

The poll seeks responses to nine questions on current water policy and may be accessed here.

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