REGISTER AT: rivers.edu.au
You are invited to attend the Australian Rivers Institute, Peter Cullen Public Lecture, where ABC’s Bernie Hobbs will moderate a high-powered panel discussion on Australia’s water policy and knowledge needs.
From 2004, Australian governments invested over 13 billion dollars in water reforms designed to meet the challenges of rising water demands, ageing water infrastructure, inefficient water use and uncertain water rights.
Much has been achieved in this time, especially through the National Water Initiative. For example: improved water planning, which involved science, Indigenous and community representatives; increased water trade; a nationally consistent approach to compliance and enforcement; and statutory protection of environment water. Over the past decade, we have gained greater knowledge about how much water we have, where it is, what its condition is, who controls it and who is using it.
Have we now finished the water reform process?
In 2010, Land & Water Australia, a major funder of water research, was discontinued, and last year, the National Water Commission ended after 10 years of overseeing the national water reform process.
But what about the new challenges we are facing?
Many Australian cities are battling to provide high-quality water security. People in rural areas are alarmed about the possible effects of mining, oil and gas extraction on water. Development in the north of Australia depends on a sustainable supply of water. And are we investing enough to address knowledge gaps and monitor our progress in water reform?
This public special lecture is dedicated to the memory of visionary water scientist, Professor Peter Cullen AO FTSE. The lecture provides a forum to bring together scientists and policy makers to discuss the priority knowledge needs for ensuring sustainable management of our water resources.
Panel members include:
Ms Leith Boully, Chair, SunWater Ltd, Centre for Excellence for Water Recycling and board member of Murrumbidgee Irrigation, Isis Mill and CRC for Water Sensitive Cities, and former Chair of the National Water Commission;
Hon Karlene Maywald, former South Australian Water Minister for the River Murray and Minister for Water Security, and former Chair of the National Water Commission;
Mr David Parker, Deputy-Secretary for Water, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry;
Professor John Thwaites, Professorial Fellow at Monash University, Chair of ClimateWorks Australia and the Monash Sustainability Institute, Chair of Melbourne Water, Chair of the Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust and former Deputy Premier and Water Minister, Victoria;
Mr Seamus Parker, Executive Director, Client Advisory, Queensland Treasury Corporation and winner of the Churchill Fellowship in 2001 for International Water Law, Policy, and Business.
Monday, October 10, 2016, 6:30 - 7:30pm, Great Hall Quadrant 2, Brisbane Conference and Exhibition Centre
Event categories
Event contact details
- Australian Rivers Institute
- rivers.edu.au
- (07) 373 57153