Snowy River flows under threat

Monday, 06 February 2006 23:56

Total Environment Centre warned today that the proposed privatisation of the Corporation was a driving force behind the decision and the cut off of the Mowamba from the Snowy was "imminent".

"The natural environmental flows, coming direct from the Mowamba River, have been the river's lifeblood over the past few years, with the Snowy's health improving enormously following decades of it being treated as a ditch. Now however the greed for profit has again reared its ugly head," said TEC natural areas campaigner Fran Kelly.

"The Snowy was dying. It only had 1% of its flows being released due to the Snowy Hydro taking the rest. After a major community campaign former NSW Premier Bob Carr and Victorian Premier Steve Bracks released the first flows in 2002 with great fanfare from the Mowamba River. This was a vital part of the overall health recovery plan."

"Money, time and effort has been poured into bringing the river back to life since then. There is visible and scientific proof that the river's health has improved enormously. "The NSW Premier Morris Iemma should take charge of this fiasco and demand that the Corporation and his Minister responsible – Ian MacDonald – put the Snowy River's health ahead of a few extra bucks for shareholders. The decision will harm the Premier's efforts to establish a reputation that is sympathetic to the environment. There will be a community backlash."

"The whole concept of environmental flows will be turned on its head because instead of the environment being the first beneficiary, it will be profits for the Snowy Corporation as the water will be taken by them before being released through a pipe in an unnatural and far less beneficiary form."