Fed: Downer rejects calls to postpone extra Murray water

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2004
Fed: Downer rejects calls to postpone extra Murray water

Foreign Minister ALEXANDER DOWNER has rejected the recommendations of a government-dominated
committee which wants to put on hold plans to pump more water into the Murray River.

Mr DOWNER -- a South Australian -- says there has already been enough research into
the plight of the Murray to justify putting more water into the river.

An interim report of the House of Representatives agriculture committee says the government
should postpone plans to pump an extra 500 gigalitres into the Murray.

The committee, largely based on the advice of two dissenting scientists, says more
research has to be done on whether the water would actually benefit the river.

The 500 gigalitre proposal has already been endorsed by state, territory and federal governments.

Mr DOWNER, whose electorate now encompasses the Murray Mouth, says the river is one
of the nation's most important natural assets and needs extra water.

AAP RTV sw/sb/jo/rp

KEYWORD: MURRAY (CANBERRA)

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