Land and Water Australia
Louise Emmett and
Bill McCormick
Land and Water Australia (LWA) will be abolished, with funding
reduced in 2009–10 and ceasing in 2010–11, saving $45.9
million over the next four years.[1] In 2009–10 $6.8 million will be
provided to cover the costs of finalising existing research and
transferring responsibilities to other agencies. Programs that will
be transferred include Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge,
Managing Climate Variability, the current phase of the National
Climate Change Research Strategy for Primary Industries, the
National Program for Sustainable Irrigation and the Australian
Agricultural Natural Resources Online.[2]
Numerous rural and green groups have criticised this measure.
The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) response indicates
their disappointment in the cessation of funding for LWA
given that the productivity of Australia’s farming has
been built on the back of research and development.[3] The NFF
specifically asked the Government to reverse the decline in
agricultural research and development funding in its Budget
Submission for 2009.[4] Don Henry, Executive Director of the Australian
Conservation Foundation, called on this decision to be
reversed.[5] Andrew Campbell, former executive
director of LWA said this decision ‘will save probably less
than $10 million a year, and will finish up costing way, way
more than that’.[6] Environment Centre Northern Territory coordinator and
LWA director Stuart Blanch said ‘for the sake of saving $13
million a year when we are going into debt of $58 billion, the
Federal Government has sacrificed arguably the best organisation in
Australia for researching the sustainable use of land and
water’. [7]
Shadow Minister for Justice and Customs, Sussan Ley, said the ‘axing of LWA represented
Labor’s ignorance of the essential research into sustainable
agriculture’ and that the savings of $12 million from
the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation could be
ploughed back into the sector. [8]
The Greens Senator Rachel Siewert has also criticised the
decision:
Land and Water Australia are one of the very few sources of
funding for essential research into tackling some of Australia's
biggest environmental problems and engaging farmers in managing the
health of our soil, water and remnant native vegetation.
… Shutting down LWA will cut the legs out from under a
whole string of ongoing research projects where LWA is one of the
funding partners.[9]
The Government has indicated that in its view the functions of
LWA are already catered for through the emergence of various other
tertiary, public and private sector bodies for research and
development in the area of natural resource management.[10]
[1].
Australian Government, ‘Part 2: Expense measures’,
Budget measures: budget paper no.2: 2009–2010,
Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, 2009, p. 85, viewed
20 May 2009,
http://www.aph.gov.au/budget/2009-10/content/bp2/download/bp_2.pdf
[2].
Australian Government, Portfolio budget statements 2009-10:
budget related paper no.1.1: Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Portfolio, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, 2009,
pp. 189-202, viewed 21 May 2009,
http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/1115281/lwa.pdf
[3].
C Burke, Budget ’09: farm sector to sustain
nation through dark days, media release,
12 May 2009, viewed 21 May 2009, http://www.nff.org.au/read/2468752944.html
[4].
National Farmers' Federation, Federal budget submission 2009:
feeding a hungrier world, Canberra, National Farmers’
Federation, 2009, viewed 21 May 2009, http://www.nff.org.au/read/2464041730.html
[5]. A Wahlquist, ‘Farmers,
green groups slam Government’s funds axing’,
Australian, 16 May 2009, p. 6, viewed
18 May 2009,
http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22media%2Fpressclp%2FTWKT6%22
[6].
Wahlquist, ‘Farmers, green groups slam Government's funds
axing’.
[7]. ‘NT environment body
cut off from funding’, Northern Territory News,
14 May 2009, p. 4, viewed 21 May 2009,
http://parlinfo/parlInfo/download/media/pressclp/25KT6/upload_binary/25kt60.pdf
[8].
S Ley, Budget 2009: Rural agriculture gutted by Rudd,
media release, 13 May 2009, viewed 21 May 2009,
http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22media%2Fpressrel%2F56MT6%22
[9].
R Siewert, Greens blast move to shut down Land and Water
Australia, media release, 6 May 2009, viewed
21 May 2009,
http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22media%2Fpressrel%2F4QHT6%22
[10]. Budget
measures: budget paper no.2: 2009–2010, p. 85.