Australian scientists resign from Murray-Darling Water commission due to a lack of heed

I don’t usually post these announcements, but GetUp are reliable and on target.

Today it was revealed that key scientists have walked away from the government’s Murray Darling Basin Authority process in protest.

Right now the Murray Darling Basin Authority is in the final stages of recommending how to deal with the water crisis in the Murray Darling. But shockingly, scientists tell us that the Authority is preparing to announce environmental water flows so low they won’t save our nation’s food bowl. Worse still, the Authority has cancelled all independent scientific review of the Government’s Murray Darling plan in an attempt to cover up its lack of environmental credibility.

The Wentworth Group of Scientists have just resigned from the process in protest¹ – but they need public support. That’s where GetUp members can make a difference. In a few weeks the Basin Authority will announce its plan. Let’s create a huge public petition to the Environment Minister, Tony Burke, demanding that the Government bring back scientific review before it’s too late:

www.getup.org.au/campaigns/murray-darling/petition/save-the-basin

The Murray Darling Basin has been sucked dry by decades of over extraction. Despite recent rain and floods the Murray Darling Basin is on the brink of ecosystem collapse. Already over 90% of the floodplain wetlands have been destroyed along with native fish and bird populations.

Without a basis in science the basin plan could lock in the death of over a quarter of the iconic river red gums on the Murray. This would spell disaster for the internationally recognised wetlands on the river.

Scientists and sustainable famers can’t fix this situation alone. Their voices are being ignored. But if we all join with them, we can’t be ignored so easily. Sign this petition to call on Environment Minister Tony Burke to bring back the science:

www.getup.org.au/campaigns/murray-darling/petition/save-the-basin

We can’t let the opportunity to save our most precious waterways be wasted by bureaucrats wanting to take the easy option and ignore the science under pressure from the heavy irrigators. Please join the petition to help back up the scientists.

Thanks for taking action,

The GetUp team

PS – Click here to read the full statement the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists provided to GetUp explaining why they pulled out of the Murray Darling-Basin Authority (MDBA) process.

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¹ The Age ‘Key scientists cast doubt on Murray water return’, Richard Willingham. May 21, 2011.