20/5/08
The federal government today announced a full review of its contentious water buyback scheme intended to help save the nation’s rivers. The first stage - a $50 million tender - of the $3.1 billion water purchase scheme ended on Friday. Water allocation rights will be bought back from irrigators who will leave the industry while a a new Murray Darling Basin-wide cap on water use is introduced. Today Climate Change and Water Minister Penny Wong announced the formation of a 12-member review committee during her address to the Irrigation Australia conference in Melbourne.
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23729013-5013404,00.html
Tags: Australia, Environment, Murray-Darling Basin