Community groups from across rural and metropolitan Australia have joined forces to petition the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) to deliver a strong, scientifically credible basin plan to save the country’s lifeblood.

 

The 18 groups have launched their petition to the authority on a new website, lifeblood.org.au, urging the authority to devise a plan that will deliver enough water to make the rivers and wetlands healthy again.

 

“The coming together of so many organisations and individuals with such diverse interests as farming and fishing, conservation, human health and grassroots advocacy from across Australia shows what Australians feel about the Murray-Darling crisis,” says the Australian Conservation Foundation’s (ACF) healthy ecosystems campaigner, Ruchira Talukdar.

 

“ACF urges (Environment) Minister, Tony Burke, and MDBA chair Craig Knowles to listen to the voices of Australians for the Murray-Darling in deciding exactly what is needed to return the rivers of the basin to health.”

 

The joint call to action comes just days after all South Australian federal MPs pledged support for a basin plan that guarantees to make the River Murray healthy.

 

The MDBA is likely to release the draft basin plan for public review within weeks.