WA Landcare Network expressed concern today about the level of government commitment to addressing salinity issues in WA.
WALN joined with the WA Auditor General in calling for a renewed strategic focus and investment to combat the problem.
A report from the Auditor General tabled on Wednesday 16 May 2018 gave a damming assessment of government performance in tackling Western Australia’s salinity problems. The report concluded that ‘without some level of intervention, the area of land affected by salinity could more than double over the next 50 -100 years’. The report also found that it is not clear how effective earlier expenditure of $560 million had been ‘because agencies have not continued to monitor and evaluate outcomes’.
WALN Chair Keith Bradby said, ‘It was clear that the State government had ‘dropped the ball’ on this critically important issue. The gutting of agency budgets in recent years has left departments unable to meet their statutory responsibilities, or to work effectively with the community. At present there is clearly no strategic direction and minimal investment to assist landcare group and landowners to combat salinity and other problems.’
‘WALN is deeply concerned that the review indicated government felt it was in no position to act’, said Mr Bradby. ‘Yet salinity is estimated by the Departments to cost agriculture some $500 million a year, plus widespread environmental damage, yet there is little evidence of government’s commitment to addressing the issue. It’s false economy to slash staffing when some solid investment and support of community effort has the potential to achieve such significant savings’, he said.
The Auditor General’s report concluded that managing dryland salinity is a shared responsibility, with shared benefits, and experience to date indicates that effectiveness relies on coordinated local action. It also concluded that there has been a lack of strategic direction with agencies providing little coordination of effort between agencies, landowners and stakeholders.
‘The government has dropped the ball on this one and the community landcare sector has been left to carry the burden, with limited strategic support or resources’, said Mr Bradby.
In a call to action Mr Bradby said, ‘WALN is looking for a renewed commitment from government to work at grass roots level with the community in addressing the spread of salinity and other key landcare issues. Many catchment groups and individual farmers have already refocused their agricultural activities towards practices which reduce the agricultural and environmental impacts of salinity. But over the last decade we have lost a major partner at the table – government.’
‘We call on the WA government to urgently re-instate the joint consultation we once all benefited from, and invest heavily in the hydrologists, the agronomists, the soil conservation services and the other support staff needed’, said Mr Bradby.
Details of Auditor General’s Report on Management of Salinity can be viewed on the Office of Auditor General’s website at https://audit.wa.gov.au/reports-and-publications/reports/management-of-salinity/auditor-generals-overview/
The WA Landcare Network is Western Australia’s peak body representing the interests of community landcare groups. WALN currently has 70 member groups.