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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-05-15 Daily Xml
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MURRAY RIVER

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (14:44): My question is to the Minister for Water and the River Murray. Having seen the health of the Murray this weekend, will the minister inform the chamber of any improvement of vegetation conditions in the Murray-Darling Basin?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:44): I wasn't aware that the honourable member had been viewing the Murray and the region this weekend. We could have connected up and had a look at some sights together.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: That would have been a sight in itself!

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Well, at least we weren't doing what you did, David—exposing yourself on statewide radio.

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Indeed!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. M. Parnell: You have a good face for radio.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: The Hon. Mr Parnell says I have a good face for radio and I'm sure he's right.

The Hon. M. Parnell interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Oh, he was pointing at the Hon. Mr Ridgway, of course, I will accept that as pertaining to both of us. As honourable members would be aware, during the drought of 2001-10 a lack of sufficient flows to South Australia and lack of over-bank flooding resulted in the decline in the condition of many long-lived vegetation types and species across large areas of the flood plains surrounding the river. However, in 2010-11 and 2012, South Australia experienced several high flow and flood events, the peak of which was recorded in February 2011. I am pleased to report that since then, the rehabilitation of long-lived vegetation, including iconic river red gum, black box, river cooba and lignum, has been observed across the basin.

The inundation of older and established species, particularly those located at high elevations on the flood plain, such as black box, has provided many positive benefits. Most importantly, there has been observed increase in new tip growth and reproduction growth such as buds and flowers on river red gums, black box and river cooba; and there has been plenty of new growth of lignum. I am also pleased to advise that, on many of the severely stressed river red gums, new growth is visible, and the majority are now showing an improvement in health.

Another development has been the growth in seedlings. In 2010-11, seedlings of long-lived vegetation species were observed growing across the flood plain for the first time in a long time. These seedlings benefited from additional high flows received in South Australia during 2012, and this has resulted in many of these becoming established saplings now fringing wetlands.

I recently had the opportunity to view the Morgan Conservation Park which was dedicated in 1979 for the protection of its wetlands. Portions of the park are regularly inundated and a large wetland in the centre of the park provides high quality habitat for waterfowl. Not far away at Ramco Lagoon, wonderful work is occurring which is being managed by Department of Environment and Natural Resources, SA Murray-Darling Basin, Riverland West Landcare and the Ramco Lagoon Wetland Group.

I also had the opportunity to meet with some of the hardworking members of the Landcare group who were monitoring the ecological health of the wetland. They advised me that increased flows in South Australia have led to a number of improvements, including a decrease in surface water salinity, increased vegetation growth, and frog species being recorded at the site where none had previously been recorded.

I am also pleased to inform the chamber that several projects are being undertaken within the Murray-Darling Basin region in order to maintain the improved condition of vegetation and to support saplings that have become established across the flood plain in this time. Recently, the watering of a mixture of black box and river red gum saplings has been undertaken at Whirlpool Corner, north of Paringa. This was a collaborative effort between the Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board and the Renmark to the Border Local Action Planning. Water was provided through the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder.

I am also advised that a project investigating the watering requirements of black box is currently being undertaken at Markaranka, north west of Waikerie. Over the coming year, a number of additional watering events are planned in order to continue supporting and maintaining growth and establishment of long-lived vegetation, and I am looking forward to hearing of their development. Maintaining the condition and varying age classes of these long-lived vegetation species is important for a number of reasons. Most importantly, species such as river red gums are iconic to the landscape but also they support many threatened species such as the regent parrot and the southern bell frog, both of which are listed as threatened species in South Australia. They also provide a number of other ecosystem benefits.

I am pleased to be able to report on this improvement to the chamber and I can advise that I will be monitoring their recovery closely. If the honourable member would like, we could perhaps go up together and look at how our revegetation and management of the system is improving for species.

The Hon. K.J. Maher: It's a date.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: It's a date, he says.

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