10-04-2001

Tasmania has signed on to a national program to combat dryland salinity.

Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment Hon David Llewellyn and the Chairman of the National Dryland Salinity Program, Mr Alex Campbell today announced that Tasmania had officially become part of Australia's National Dryland Salinity Program (NDSP), linking the State with best available research and development for managing the emerging risk of dryland salinity.

Mr Llewellyn said the decision was an important step forward for Tasmania in its move towards managing the dryland salinity problem

'In Tasmania we are rapidly coming to grips with the significance of our salinity problem,' he said.

'The Tasmanian Salinity Audit Report released last year identified some 54,000 hectares affected by salinity within the State, with further areas at risk.

'The Report also indicated that Tasmania is very well placed to take appropriate actions to ensure the problem is contained. The report argues that prevention is better and cheaper than cure and we are certainly working on this basis.'

Mr Llewellyn said Tasmania, along with other States, placed considerable emphasis on the productive use and rehabilitation of saline lands.

'Tasmania is in a unique position to prevent salinity now, rather than accepting we have to live with an established salt problem as in many other parts of Australia.

'This move will ensure we have access to the latest information and research findings to help us with our salinity prevention and management programs.'

'Tasmania's farmers are skilled in managing change and quick to adopt new technology and new thinking for improved sustainability and productivity.'

Mr Llewellyn said joining the national program indicated the importance the State Government placed on preventing and managing salinity in the State which is currently hosting the 7th National Productive Use and Rehabilitation of Saline Land Conference in Launceston this week.

NDSP Chairman Alex Campbell said Tasmania's involvement in the program demonstrated the national effort being pursued to manage the risk of dryland salinity across Australia.

'Dryland salinity is Australia's most serious environmental issue,' he said.

'The priorities surrounding dryland salinity in Tasmania include gathering knowledge and support from the NDSP network and developing strategies for prevention.

'This new partnership between the program and Tasmania demonstrates our commitment as a national program to managing both emerging and existing areas affected by dryland salinity, as well as providing the technology and highest level of knowledge to better manage those areas potentially at risk.'

ENDS


PROFILE: Australia's National Dryland Salinity Program

The National Dryland Salinity Program was established in 1993 and is a collaborative research, development and extension effort that is investigating the causes, costs and consequences of, and solutions to, dryland salinity across Australia.

The Program is managed by a consortium of eleven partners, including New South Wales, Victorian, Queensland, Tasmanian, South Australian and Western Australian Governments and their agencies, the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry, the Grains R&D Corporation, Environment Australia, the Murray Darling Basin Commission and Land & Water Australia. The program is administered by Land & Water Australia on behalf of the consortium partners.

The National Dryland Salinity Program is a partnership in research, development and extension tackling the salinity risk to Australia's land and water resources. It provides an unparalleled national framework to encourage greater understanding and awareness of salinity.

The National Land and Water Resource Audit's dryland salinity risk assessment during 2000, officially released last week, revealed that nearly six million hectares across Australia are at risk from dryland salinity. This could triple in 50 years time to 17 million hectares.

For further information please contact:

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