Fed: Opposition to support Greens' plan for water inquiry

AAP General News (Australia)
08-27-2008
Fed: Opposition to support Greens' plan for water inquiry

CANBERRA, Aug 27 AAP - The federal opposition has vowed to support a plan to launch
a senate inquiry into ways of securing vital water for South Australia's Coorong wetlands
and the lower lakes of the Murray River.

The Australian Greens want to investigate the volume of water which could be provided
to the Murray-Darling system to replenish the lower lakes and Coorong, including options
for sourcing and delivering the water.

It would consider possible incentive and compensation schemes for current water-holders,
options for the once-off compulsory acquisition of water and any likely transmission losses
and the most efficient and effective strategies to manage the delivery of water.

Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson said the coalition would back the plan and wanted
to broaden its scope to cover any advice and information the federal government had received
on options to provide immediate relief to the lower lakes.

"Yes we are," he told ABC Radio this morning when asked if the opposition would support
the Greens' bid for an inquiry.

"In fact we'd like to see it go a little bit further.

"We want to make sure that the urgent advice that (Climate Change and Water Minister)
Penny Wong and (Prime Minister) Kevin Rudd have received in terms of what can be done
right now to assist water in the Coorong and the lower lakes, we think that should be
part of the inquiry."

AAP sm/rl/srp/bwl

KEYWORD: MURRAY NELSON

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