[GrnVillageGirl@aol.com]

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This was just posted on the Australian Conservation Foundation website, for 
anyone who's interested:

http://www.acfonline.org.au/asp/pages/home.asp
Peter Garrett's Speech
Wednesday 28th August 2002 - near Jindabyne 

Today represents the first instalment of a debt that Australia owes to the 
Snowy River.

This is a truly historic occasion. It's been a long time between drinks for 
the Snowy and today we are paying back some of the water; we are paying back 
a debt that we owe to the Snowy River and the people that live here and love 
it so much. It's a cause for celebration for all Australians.

I know much of Australia has been in drought recently. The Snowy River has 
effectively been in drought for the past 35 years since construction of the 
Snowy Scheme reduced its flows at Jindabyne by 99 percent. It truly deserves 
this first drink.

Behind this event was years of hard work by many. ACF commend the patience 
and persistence of the Snowy valley community, in particular the Snowy River 
Alliance. River and we acknowledge the fine assistance of the Meyer 
Foundation through this time.

It was hard work just bringing the Murray and Murrumbidgee valleys, who've 
come to depend on the Snowy's water for their livelihoods.

And it was hard work by Premiers Steve Bracks and Bob Carr, not to mention 
Craig Ingram of course, in forging an agreement to finally return these flows 
back to the Snowy.

But while we're celebrating this new beginning for the Snowy, let's not 
forget the plight of the great Murray River.

Just last week the National Trust formally recognised the Murray as 
Australia's most endangered place. Restoring the Murray to health is our next 
challenge; a challenge that we can no longer ignore.

Literally one-half of the Murray's native fish species are officially 
threatened with extinction, including the giant Murray cod, Australia's 
largest freshwater fish. To lose the Murray cod would be as big a crime as 
losing the Tasmanian tiger.

And right now the mouth of the Murray is threatened with imminent closure. 
Hardly surprising, given that literally nothing - no river water at all - has 
managed to flow through the Murray mouth since November last year.

The problems of the Murray River are too numerous to mention here today, but 
it's worth noting that these problems are already the subject of a major 
exercise in public consultation across Victoria, NSW and South Australia.

I'm truly impressed that the Victorian and NSW Governments have been able to 
work so well together in returning flows to the Snowy River. Both Premiers 
deserve our congratulations.

We also welcome the support of the Commonwealth in making the Bracks/Carr 
agreement a reality.

Our next challenge is to restore flows to the Murray River, while at the same 
time addressing the concerns of the farming community. This is a challenge 
that will take both time and money to resolve.

I know both Premiers here today are committed to Healthy Rivers. The Carr 
Government has a long record in pursuing environmental reforms in the 
management of NSW rivers. And recently the Bracks Government launched its 
Victorian River Health Strategy.

I'm sure both Mr Carr and Mr Bracks recognise that further challenges remain, 
especially in restoring much needed environmental flows to the Murray River. 
The recent announcement by Steve Bracks and SA Premier Mike Rann was a 
welcome step, and I'm sure we'll hear much more about the Murray River from 
all three Premiers over the coming months.

Whatever happens, progress won't be easy. To paraphrase Mark Twain, 
"whiskey's for drinking - water's for arguing over".

Even though some are begrudging the Snowy River its fair share of water, so 
we must be vigilant in ensuring that the process of returning water to the 
Snowy continues.

For the Snowy, today is a great beginning, which I urge us all toto see it 
out to the end. As the clear water flows and the Snowy comes to life. Well 
done everyone, well done Australia.





    


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<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><BODY BGCOLOR="#ffffff"><FONT  style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2>This was just posted on the Australian Conservation Foundation website, for anyone who's interested:<BR>
<BR>
</FONT><FONT  COLOR="#0000ff" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><U>http://www.acfonline.org.au/asp/pages/home.asp</FONT><FONT  COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=5 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"></U><BR>
<B>Peter Garrett's Speech<BR>
</FONT><FONT  COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"></B>Wednesday 28th August 2002 - near Jindabyne <BR>
<BR>
Today represents the first instalment of a debt that Australia owes to the Snowy River.<BR>
<BR>
This is a truly historic occasion. It's been a long time between drinks for the Snowy and today we are paying back some of the water; we are paying back a debt that we owe to the Snowy River and the people that live here and love it so much. It's a cause for celebration for all Australians.<BR>
<BR>
I know much of Australia has been in drought recently. The Snowy River has effectively been in drought for the past 35 years since construction of the Snowy Scheme reduced its flows at Jindabyne by 99 percent. It truly deserves this first drink.<BR>
<BR>
Behind this event was years of hard work by many. ACF commend the patience and persistence of the Snowy valley community, in particular the Snowy River Alliance. River and we acknowledge the fine assistance of the Meyer Foundation through this time.<BR>
<BR>
It was hard work just bringing the Murray and Murrumbidgee valleys, who've come to depend on the Snowy's water for their livelihoods.<BR>
<BR>
And it was hard work by Premiers Steve Bracks and Bob Carr, not to mention Craig Ingram of course, in forging an agreement to finally return these flows back to the Snowy.<BR>
<BR>
But while we're celebrating this new beginning for the Snowy, let's not forget the plight of the great Murray River.<BR>
<BR>
Just last week the National Trust formally recognised the Murray as Australia's most endangered place. Restoring the Murray to health is our next challenge; a challenge that we can no longer ignore.<BR>
<BR>
Literally one-half of the Murray's native fish species are officially threatened with extinction, including the giant Murray cod, Australia's largest freshwater fish. To lose the Murray cod would be as big a crime as losing the Tasmanian tiger.<BR>
<BR>
And right now the mouth of the Murray is threatened with imminent closure. Hardly surprising, given that literally nothing - no river water at all - has managed to flow through the Murray mouth since November last year.<BR>
<BR>
The problems of the Murray River are too numerous to mention here today, but it's worth noting that these problems are already the subject of a major exercise in public consultation across Victoria, NSW and South Australia.<BR>
<BR>
I'm truly impressed that the Victorian and NSW Governments have been able to work so well together in returning flows to the Snowy River. Both Premiers deserve our congratulations.<BR>
<BR>
We also welcome the support of the Commonwealth in making the Bracks/Carr agreement a reality.<BR>
<BR>
Our next challenge is to restore flows to the Murray River, while at the same time addressing the concerns of the farming community. This is a challenge that will take both time and money to resolve.<BR>
<BR>
I know both Premiers here today are committed to Healthy Rivers. The Carr Government has a long record in pursuing environmental reforms in the management of NSW rivers. And recently the Bracks Government launched its Victorian River Health Strategy.<BR>
<BR>
I'm sure both Mr Carr and Mr Bracks recognise that further challenges remain, especially in restoring much needed environmental flows to the Murray River. The recent announcement by Steve Bracks and SA Premier Mike Rann was a welcome step, and I'm sure we'll hear much more about the Murray River from all three Premiers over the coming months.<BR>
<BR>
Whatever happens, progress won't be easy. To paraphrase Mark Twain, "whiskey's for drinking - water's for arguing over".<BR>
<BR>
Even though some are begrudging the Snowy River its fair share of water, so we must be vigilant in ensuring that the process of returning water to the Snowy continues.<BR>
<BR>
For the Snowy, today is a great beginning, which I urge us all toto see it out to the end. As the clear water flows and the Snowy comes to life. Well done everyone, well done Australia.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
    <BR>
<BR>
</FONT></HTML>
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