Page 2599 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 11 August 2015
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In the 2015-16 budget the government announced a total of $7.8 million over four years to address priority on-ground works within the lower Cotter catchment. This investment will allow work to commence on the repair of erosion control structures to better protect water quality; deliver further fuel management activities such as the removal of pine tree regrowth which poses an increased fire hazard; repair fire trails; control pest plants and animals; increase staff presence in the area to ensure illegal activity is minimised, and complete a management plan for the area.
At this point I would like to outline in some detail some of the government’s responses to recommendations from the Auditor-General’s report. The first of three high priority recommendations addressed the need for new catchment management coordination and decision-making arrangements for the lower Cotter catchment. The aim of this is to identify senior executive staff with explicit responsibility for oversight and budget.
I can report that the Directors-General Water Group, with representation from each of the agencies with a management interest in the lower Cotter catchment—that is, TAMS, EPD and Justice and Community Safety—has determined that it will oversee all matters related to the management of the lower Cotter catchment.
The D-G water group has directed the creation of an inter-directorate working group to deliver on the relevant report recommendations and to regularly report back to the D-G water group. The working group is to be chaired by TAMS, the agency with land management responsibility for the lower Cotter catchment; it will also have representation from Icon Water, EPD and the Emergency Services Agency in JACS. I am pleased to report that this working group has commenced operation and has provided its first progress report to the D-G water group.
The report’s second high priority recommendation called on the government to finalise a risk plan for the lower Cotter catchment. I have asked that this be made a particular priority, as it will in turn determine works considered to be of greatest need to ensure the integrity of the catchment. The risk plan, having input from all agencies, will be a consolidated whole-of-government document that will be reviewed and updated every year to ensure priority risks are recognised and mitigated.
The final high priority recommendation relates to the need to urgently remediate erosion and sediment control structures in the lower Cotter catchment. One of the most significant sources of pollution in a water catchment arises from the mobilisation of sediment after heavy rainfall. It is important that in a recovering environment, such as that of the lower Cotter catchment, control structures such as sedimentation dams, gabion rock structures and road culverts are deployed strategically and maintained to a minimum standard. The government has allocated $0.7 million over four years to get this process started, with priority given to works that will yield the greatest improvement to water quality.
Improving water quality is also about strengthening the environment in other ways. For example, controlling weeds and pest animals will reduce soil disturbances and encourage natural regeneration, which serves as a very powerful driver of improved water quality. An additional $120,000 over four years will substantially improve the land managers’ capability to deliver this work.
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