A plan to create a food bowl in north Australia by damming several major rivers has been met with criticism from environmental groups and Top End politicians.
According to The Australian, the Federal Coalition has developed a plan to double Australia’s agricultural production through the development of stage three of Western Australia’s Ord River project, and the damming of WA’s Margaret River, the Northern Territory’s Daly River, and Queensland’s Flinders and Gilbert rivers.
Opposition finance spokesman Andrew Robb headed the policy development task force which came up the idea, which he says would double Australia’s agricultural production and provide a food bowl to feed Asia.
But the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) says it could deliver a fatal blow to Queensland’s marine life, leaving the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) exposed to high levels of pesticide, nutrient and sediment pollution during times of flood.
The WWF says at least 700 reefs in the GBR world heritage marine park are already at very high risk of farm pollution, and the proposed massive agricultural expansion would mean a new wave of pollution being dumped on the reef over the coming years.
WWF’s Freshwater Policy Manager Sean Hoobin says the past summer’s Queensland floods starkly illustrated the impact polluted agricultural run-off can have on the reef, “with widespread die-off of sea grasses and coral mortality leading to huge spikes in turtle and dugong deaths.
“The 700 reefs identified as high-risk have already suffered a 50 per cent loss of coral and so doubling the pollution load could well push these reefs over the edge,” Mr Hoobin says.
Northern Territory Labor Member for Daly, Rob Knight has also hit out the plan - labelling it as “ludicrous” and calling on Country Liberals leader Terry Mills to reject the proposal to dam the Daly River.
He says the current government has worked hard to protect the Daly for the benefit of traditional owners, the tourism industry and recreational fishermen.
"The Daly River's pristine environment, world-class fishing and magnificent natural beauty are irreplaceable assets for the Territory," Mr Knight says.
Territory Fisheries Minister Kon Vatskalis says the Daly River would be ruined if it was dammed, vowing the Government will fight “tooth and nail” to keep it as a premier fishing and tourist destination.
“We had the best ever barra season on the Daly this year and damming it will ruin it forever," he says.
“Recreational fishing is such a hugely popular pastime in the Territory, and the Henderson Labor Government is determined to keep it as brilliant as ever,” Mr Vatskalis says.
“The Territory Labor Government spent 10 years fixing the unregulated land clearing mess the CLP had left us at the Daly.
“We also introduced possession limits on the Daly River and put measures in place in the high use areas to protect the high quality of fishing and to help maintain the Daly as the best fishing spot in the world.”
