22-09-2000

Technical, legal and institutional issues will be debated at a national dryland salinity conference to be held at Latrobe University in Bendigo, Victoria from 14 - 17 November 2000.

Sponsored by Australia's National Dryland Salinity Program (NDSP), the conference will take a stocktake of salinity progress and directions nationally, and help set priorities for biophysical, social and legal research, development and extension.

The conference will be opened by Victorian Minister for State and Regional Development, Hon John Brumby MP, followed by statements by Federal Minister for Forestry and Conservation, the Hon Wilson Tuckey MHR and Mr John Ross, President of the Australian Local Government Association.

'Dryland salinity is one of Australia's most pressing environmental challenges, with the area of land affected likely to more than quadruple in the next 30-50 years without remedial action. This conference will tackle some of the serious issues facing governments and the communities they represent and the industries affected by its spread,' said NDSP Management Board chairman Alex Campbell.

'The conference recognises that managing dryland salinity also requires dealing with social as well as institutional and legal issues and is not just about on-farm action,' he said.

'We want to leave the conference with a common understanding on where dryland salinity research, development and extension is heading with a list of key principles to guide NDSP in setting future priorities, and we want to have identified legislative shortcomings and emerging legal issues.'

The conference is targeted at regional catchment managers, researchers, industry leaders, environment and farming non-government organisations, technical groups and consultants, legal advisers and policy makers from all levels of government.

A transfer of information to the wider community is being planned through a series of regional forums across Australia in mid-2001.

A special seminar on Friday 17 November will focus on salinity and the law, examining past and present legal frameworks for natural resource management and identifying R&D needs to help manage the social and legal implications of increasing salinity affects on both built and natural public and private assets.

Program:

Day 1
14 November Salinity information update and emerging directions, State priorities and initiatives for salinity management

Day 2
15 November Salinity research planning and review Identification of common and cross-border issues

Day 3
16 November Field trips

Day 4
17 November Salinity and the Law

For further information please contact:

Please contact Land & Water Australia
Email: land&wateraustralia@lwa.gov.au
Phone: 02 6263 6000