The following review of the latest offering from Craig Knowles' MDBA largely validates  FWU's long-held concerns about the true intent of the Basin Plan, and is published in full:

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"This is the third attempt by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to produce a proposed Basin Plan. This latest version reinforces the fact that if you start with shoddy foundations you will end up with a shoddy house. In the case of the proposed Basin Plan, some things get worse with each iteration.

27th March 2012

Of late, and as previously advised, FWU has largely been media-silent with respect to the proposed Murray-Darling Basin Plan. As soon as the draft plan was released, we made the decision to wait until the period of cage-rattling (aka public consultation) had died down somewhat, as it was clear that the level of media noise would prevent discussion of fundamental concerns, of relevance to all Australians, contained within the Proposed Basin Plan.

This should not be taken as an indication of lack of activity at FWU. We have been hard at work behind the scenes with a range of initiatives, particularly in undertaking a detailed review of the Proposed Basin Plan: Sad to say, the volume of paperwork produced by the Authority is matched by the degree of imprecision and inequity contained therein.

We are collaborating with the Water Action Coalition to produce what will be a most comprehensive critique of the Proposed Basin Plan, and one which will expose the Basin Plan for what it truly is – a tool to expand and entrench the corporatisation of Australian water and to promote its privatisation.

- Watch this space

Given the heated debate on the upcoming Basin Plan and water policy in general, Fair Water Use is keen to know your thoughts on these issues. Please take a moment to complete a brief questionnaire, as it will assist us in prioritising our efforts:

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"We, the under-signed organizations, representing civil-society organizations and social movements from around the world, call upon the members of the UN NGO Committee to reject the application of Aquafed, the International Federation of Private Water Operators, for United Nations ECOSOC consultative status at the May 16-24, 2011 session of the committee."

FWU is concerned that this Inquiry will recommend amendment to the Water Act 2007, to allow the Commonwealth to downgrade its commitment to the environment of the Murray-Darling river system, to placate an outspoken section of the irrigation community.

Our submission addresses these important issues . . . .

Excellent rains have provided welcome relief for the Murray-Darling. 

However, unless we learn from our mistakes, and more importantly those made by the administrations and institutions responsible for the river system, it will only be a matter of a few short years before the situation is as grim as it was until recently. 

We have provided The Hon Tony Burke, the new Minister with responsibility for water, with a copy of this document and await his comments.

* All calculations based on data obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics