July 13th 2008 

New data from Murray-Darling Basin Commission reveals that, despite excellent rains in the upper Darling catchment over the last nine months, total inflows into the Murray are at historical lows; and we know that the Darling itself is barely flowing at present.

Currently the situation may be exacerbated by drought, but it cannot be argued that the only solution is for this drought to break. FWU believes that the vast majority of the national electorate will no longer accept the reluctance of Prime Minister Rudd to use the emergency powers that his office bestows to compulsorily acquire and release the recommended 1500 gigalitres of impounded water that is currently being denied the rivers  - as a result of vested political or corporate interests.

We urge Mr Rudd to rise above the endemic obfuscation and prevarication and take decisive action to address the problem in the short-term. The vast area that used to be the nation's bread-basket is literally dying as it waits for him to do so.

However, the rivers will never run as they should thereafter unless Governments also step in and radically reduce or reclaim water "rights", especially those granted in a less than transparent manner to big business buddies of the National Party. This would also encourage the cultivation of less water-hungry crops throughout the basin.

The Federal Government has a mandate from the electorate to redress the mistakes of the past. It owes the country no less.