Policies can sometimes lead to misleading narratives. The recent initiative by Federal Environment Minister Sarah Thompson is a clear example of this.
Despite water authorities holding over 5,200 gigalitres of water rights, the government aims to secure an additional 900 gigalitres through the completion of regional programs and an extra 500 gigalitres requested by local stakeholders.
You might wonder, what's wrong with protecting the environment? First, we need to define the environment, understand what constitutes environmental water, and identify the specific challenges faced by different rivers and regions.
Years have passed since campaigns urged people to 'Save the Riverflow.' While well-intentioned, excessive water flows have strained the river system, damaging infrastructure, habitats, and native vegetation.