The Murray Darling Association is a grassroots, non-political and community-based organisation, which interacts with communities, governments and authorities on behalf of local government and the community of the Murray Darling Basin.
Now in its 69th year, the National Conference & Annual General Meeting of the Murray Darling Association will look at the important role the Association must play in ensuring the Basin Plan is implemented in a way that finds a balance for the environment and sustainable communities.
While water has been the ‘main game’ over the past decade, the Association has been monitoring and addressing a number of other important issues and initiatives. These include tensions between mining and agriculture; land access; the NSW Government’s review of public land management; foreign ownership of agricultural land; and the implications of the carbon tax for local government.
Severe weather events since the drought breaking in April 2010 have had a heavy impact on council budgets within and beyond the basin’s borders. Funding the works to reinstate and rehabilitate roads, bridges and other assets has come at a heavy cost to many regional communities.
The history of droughts in the Murray Darling Basin has taught us some important lessons regarding water management, its ability to create wealth in food production, green energy and mining, while understanding the need to preserve our environmental heritage.
The Basin’s water resources are shrinking. The challenge for future droughts is for all users to find an improved social, economic and environmental balance for this shrinking resource.
The 2013 Conference aims to explore issues that have arisen due to recent droughts, and discuss how water innovation can assist the management of
this resource.
The National President Ken Rogers and the Board of the Murray Darling Association look forward to welcoming you all to Goolwa in October.
*Copy supplied by Murray Darling Association
For more information Email: admin@mda.asn.au or download registration form at: www.mda.asn.au
