Australia: New Investment Improves SEQ Waterways

The quality of South East Queensland waterways will be improved with work commencing on $8 million of rehabilitation and restoration work.

Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection Andrew Powell said the Newman Government was responding positively to the latest Healthy Waterways Report Card.

“The latest report card showed Moreton Bay was still recovering from the floods of 2011 and 2013,” Mr Powell said.

“It highlighted a number of priorities to prevent further decline and protect the health of our bay and waterways.

“They include restoring wetlands, improving farming practices within local catchments and reducing erosion and sediment run off.

“We are now getting on with the job of protecting and improving the quality of our waterways.

“Local councils, Healthy Waterways Ltd and SEQ Catchments have received funding over the next four years for a range of projects.

“This investment is part of our election commitment to invest in our environment both on and off the land.”

Member for Pumicestone Lisa France said the funding would allow immediate work to begin to protect important ecosystems into the future.

“This funding of $300,000 will allow work to commence on vital wetlands restoration in the Pumicestone Passage catchment,” she said.

Mr Powell said farmers in the Pumicestone Passage catchment, Lockyer and Fassifern Valleys, will also benefit from $900,000 over three years to promote sustainable and resilient practices in horticulture.

“The Newman Government has also allocated $1 million over four years to carry out ecosystem mapping and aquatic conservation assessments to provide new information on how water moves above and below ground,” Mr Powell said.

“This will enable the government to better target its funding and resources to determine the best place to carry out restoration across South East Queensland.

“Healthy Waterways Ltd has also been allocated $950,000 over the next three years to extend the Erosion and Sediment Control Program working with local government to create more effective erosion and sediment control on urban development sites.

“Economic development and good outcomes for the environment are not mutually exclusive and we will be supporting programs to ensure that agriculture and development are sustainable for our waterways and we recover degraded urban creeks.

“Resilience of our waterways is critical to the region’s economy, to protecting communities and infrastructure and to looking after our precious soils and natural environment.”

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Press Release, February 20, 2014