WORLD WETLANDS DAY

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:49): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Can the minister inform us about the importance of World Wetlands Day and the community science forum held at Signal Point to mark the day?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:49): I thank the honourable member for his very important question. World Wetlands Day is celebrated each year to mark the signing of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance in Ramsar.

The theme for World Wetlands Day 2013 was 'Wetlands take care of water'. Healthy wetlands provide important hydrological functions, such as flood alleviation, improving the quality of water and groundwater recharge. The ongoing health of wetlands depends on not only the quantity and quality of water that reaches them but also how effectively they are managed.

Several events were held in South Australia to celebrate World Wetlands Day 2013. I was pleased to attend one of these events, a community science forum, on Friday 1 February at Signal Point at Goolwa. This event was organised by a number of people and groups in the region, and it was a great opportunity for community members to receive more information about the science, monitoring and research currently occurring in the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth region.

The region itself was listed as a wetlands of international importance under the convention in 1985, one of only 66 across Australia. Covering an area of 142,500 hectares, the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth region has a diverse range of fresh water, estuarine and marine habitats. The many diverse plants and animals found in this region are unique to this region, rarely found in other parts of the world. It continues to be a significant habitat for many internationally migrating birds.

The region also provides habitat for a number of threatened species, such as the hooded plover, the orange-bellied parrot, the Mount Lofty Ranges southern emu-wren, the Murray cod, the southern bell frog and the southern pygmy perch.

The wetland itself forms at the terminus of the Murray-Darling River, incorporating 23 different types of wetlands which range from freshwater to hypersaline, dense vegetation to open water and temporary to permanently inundated land.

The community science forum included presentations and discussions with representatives from a number of organisations, including the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, the EPA, the CSIRO, the Ngarrindjeri Regional Authority, SARDI and Flinders and Adelaide universities.

Other groups that play an important role in the wellbeing of this site include the Goolwa to Wellington Local Action Planning Association, the Community Advisory Panel and the Scientific Advisory Group. Their ongoing commitment and involvement ensures that this region has a sustainable and resilient future.

Just a few short years ago—and anyone who travels regularly to the area knows of the drought conditions and plunging water levels—the resilience of the community and the local economy was tested in many ways, just as much as the environment. Fortunately, significant investment from the commonwealth and state governments, along with the development of strong partnerships with the Ngarrindjeri people and other communities, has seen a significant recovery underway. There is no doubt the region has a bright future, but there is still much more to be done.

The biggest delivery to date of environmental water to South Australia is currently underway. Through the Living Murray program, more than 245 billion litres of environmental water from the Goulburn and Murrumbidgee systems is being released during the summer months to provide environmental benefits to the River Murray channel and the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth.

South Australia has secured a further 300 billion litres of environmental water from the commonwealth water holder, which was delivered during December as a 'pulse' to promote spawning of golden perch and other native fish species. This water will help to improve conditions for native fish and river vegetation, and it will help to reduce nutrient and salinity concentrations. Environmental flows are delivering benefits for other organisms in the food chain, such as worms, insects, bivalves and aquatic plant life.

The United Nations has named 2013 the International Year for Water Cooperation, and cooperation is at the heart of the Murray-Darling Basin plan, between governments, communities and the divergent interests of river users. The Labor government, with the strong backing of the South Australian community, is very proud to have secured 3,200 billion litres of water for the river every year under the plan. This water will help to ensure that the river, lakes and Coorong system will continue to function as a sustainable wetland.

Other events held to mark World Wetlands Day here in South Australia included a Family Fun Day at Clayton, a take care of water display at the McCormick Centre in Renmark and a tour of the Greenfields Wetlands site at Mawson Lakes. I am looking forward to getting out to these communities in the near future to see what they are doing for our river systems and waterways. The state government remains committed to protecting and sustaining our unique and fragile habitats for the benefit and enjoyment of communities now and into the future.