Dear Prime Minister,

Fair Water Use would like to draw your attention to the Drought Update released today by the Murray Darling Basin Authority, which clearly indicates that, without clear and decisive action on behalf of your Government, the future for what was once the bread-basket of this nation is bleak.

 We would like to emphasise statements ascribed therein to Chief Executive of the MDBA, Mr Rob Freeman:

“Despite good rainfall in the north of the Basin during February, the Menindee Lakes received only about 190 GL from the Darling River, increasing the storage level to about 15 per cent of capacity.”

Please ask yourself why this might be the case; and in so-doing consider the impact of the vast and frequently illegal diversions and impoundments constructed in the Darling catchment.

“The persistence and severity of this drought, particularly over the past three years, is unprecedented. All three States have set aside enough water to meet critical human water needs in 2009-10, but the prospects for irrigation will be highly dependent on future rainfall and system inflows.”

As coordinator of this national group, I would like to enquire whether you are giving urgent consideration to:

1)      the declaration of a State of Emergency to enable your Government to override the self interest of the States and allow meaningful action to be taken to address the multiple, non-drought, causes of the crisis.

2)      the establishment of a Royal Commission of Enquiry into the management and governance of the Murray-Darling Basin: past, present and future.

If you are not contemplating the above actions, we would ask you to detail the reasons why you feel that the crisis does not justify such an approach.

Yours faithfully,

Dr Ian Douglas

National Coordinator