Matthew Franklin; 2/7/09
Kevin Rudd will today pump $50 million into new projects to protect the Great Barrier Reef from chemical runoff from farms, in a major revamp of land management policy. The grants, which will fund action by land management and farm groups to minimise runoff of agricultural chemicals and nutrients, are among $400m in new spending to be unveiled by the Prime Minister today under the Caring for Our Country program. The $2 billion scheme, which replaces land management programs of the previous Howard government, aims to reduce red tape and encourage individual farmers and interested groups to work together to protect land and water catchments, rather than acting in isolation. Progress on the projects will be assessed annually against business plans.
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25720847-5013404,00.html
Tags: Australia, Environment, Trade