Water, Rivers and Wetlands

Australia is the driest inhabited continent, yet Australians are among the world’s heaviest water users. We need to use our water wisely and plan for a sustainable future in a drying and increasingly uncertain climate.

Climate change means that we cannot rely on runoff-dependent energy-hungry solutions such as new dams, mega-pipelines and desalination plants to secure our future water supplies. We should embrace water sensitive design principles, meet water efficiency targets, and capture and reuse storm water.

The Greens will:

• Ensure that all future land-use planning addresses climate change
• Keep all major water resources and infrastructure in public ownership
• Set water efficiency standards for new developments and appliances
• Provide incentives to retrofit existing buildings with rainwater tanks and grey water systems
• Support the recovery of 3500 GL of water to restore Murray Darling ecosystems and Commit $3 billion to buy back permanent water allocations in the Murray Darling
• Ensure that development in northern Australia protects our wild rivers and does not repeat the mistakes of the south
• Support water recycling and demand reduction initiatives.