CRAIG INGRAM MP - MEMBER FOR GIPPSLAND EAST
Issued: Wednesday, 22 August 2007
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MEDIA
RELEASE FROM CRAIG INGRAM MP - MEMBER FOR GIPPSLAND EAST Issued: Wednesday, 22 August 2007 |
Independent Victorian MP, Craig Ingram, will join with the communities of the Snowy River this weekend for “Snowy Flows Day” to commemorate the fifth anniversary of flows to the iconic river.
“On August 28, 2002, the first environmental flows were released at Mowamba, New South Wales,” Mr Ingram said.
“This year marks the fifth anniversary of this special event and the community plans to meet at Mowamba Weir, the site of the celebrated return of the first flows, which were released by the Premiers of Victoria and NSW.
“Three years later, Snowy Hydro Limited, with the support of the NSW Government, turned off those flows.
“We will lay a wreath in memory of the promise, the flows and the community confidence, which have all since evaporated.”
Mr Ingram said he had met recently with several key federal and state government representatives in the lead-up to the anniversary, seeking their support for maintaining and increasing environmental flows to the iconic waterway.
“The return of flows to the Snowy River is relatively simple,” Mr Ingram said.
“The money has been committed; the water savings have been verified and delivered, yet the intergovernmental water agreements and the water licence have not been adequate.
“Protective measures, like the establishment of the Snowy Scientific Committee, have not been implemented.
“The ongoing failure of the three governments to deliver on their commitments has the potential to compromise the water industry and the communities support for the hard won environmental flows,” Mr Ingram concluded.
Date: Sunday, August 26, 2007
Time: 10:30am
Location: Mowamba Weir (NSW) and then lunch at Dalgety
