00:00More than three million people rely on the Murray-Darling Basin.
00:05The authority responsible for its management admits the current plan needs to do more.
00:11There is certainly still more work to do, particularly in the areas of native fish.
00:14We're not seeing the sorts of responses that we would have liked to have seen.
00:18The key legal and policy instrument we have to address insufficient flows at the basin level is the basin plan, and it's not yet fully implemented.
00:28A report published by the authority late last year painted a concerning picture of the future for the basin.
00:34That could see critical water supplies at risk if there are no changes to the plan and environmental issues aren't addressed.
00:41If we don't do those things, it's only one drought or one extended dry period from regressing very quickly.
00:50The report says environmental outcomes have improved since the plan was introduced in 2012.
00:55But irrigators in South Australia say while they've had to make compromises, their part of the river hasn't seen all of the promised benefits.
01:04It will take more than just water to be repaired or to be moved forward so that there are plenty of other actions that might be needed across the basin.
01:12A review of the plan has begun, with climate change and the inclusion of First Nations in water management key focus areas.
01:19That's all we have been stressing is to put us in the Murray-Darling Basin plan.
01:23The Federal Government says it's committed to delivering the basin plan.
01:27Public consultation is open and will run until the 1st of May.
Comments