Perceptions of different groups

Introduction

The Murray-Darling river system is one of Australia's most important multiple-use natural resources, providing otherwise unobtainable fresh water for household consumption, farming, irrigated agriculture and industry (refer to Chapter 1). The rural areas making up its basin contribute to around 40 per cent of Australia's agricultural income. It is also home to around 30 000 wetlands and a diverse array of plant and animal life.

Covering such a massive amount of territory and being the major source of water for so many competing interests, the perceptions of different stakeholders towards issues such as salinity vary considerably. While all agree that salinity is a serious problem, opinions start to diverge when it comes to determining what mechanisms should be put in place to tackle the problem.

In this chapter we will discuss the varying problems water salinity causes users within the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), and assess what these different stakeholders think should be done to address the ensuing problems. The drinking water crisis in Adelaide is an example of one such problem. See image 1

Adelaide's population and urban users downstream

Over 90 per cent of SA's population lives in the Gulflands region of the State, which includes the urban centres of Adelaide, Port Augusta, Port Pirie, Victor Harbour and Whyalla. Much of the drinking water that these populations depend upon comes from the Murray River. It was realised some time ago that if something was not done to address the issue of salinity in the MDB, Adelaide would need to start treating its water. Desalinising water in treatment plants is an extremely expensive process and the South Australian government would have had to bear the economic burden of this if actions were not taken upstream.

The general perception of these urban residents is that their drinking water quality is being degraded as a result of activities taking place in other parts of Australia. Much of this activity, although indirectly of benefit to urban populations in terms of its provision of food, is for other people's direct economic gain. There is also a common perception amongst these populations that changing the nature of Australia's agricultural industry - the major cause of salinity - holds the solution to the nation's salinity crisis. With a population of just over one million, Adelaide wields a great deal of political power within SA (itself with a population of only 1.5 million). Any initiatives addressing the needs and desires of this population would therefore heavily influence the South Australian State government.

Urban users upstream

The perceptions of other urban populations dependent upon the Murray-Darling for their domestic consumption needs are similar to those of Adelaide's residents. If levels of water diversions for irrigated agriculture and farming continue to deplete and degrade water supplies, it is likely that these settlements will soon be looking at a similar situation to Adelaide. This could mean installing more efficient (but more expensive) water-saving equipment, or constructing desalinisation plants and other forms of water treatment facilities.

Rural users of the Murray-Darling

As already been noted, the MDB is Australia's most important agricultural area. Without access to the Murray-Darling's fresh water, the economic heartland of Australia's primary industry would perish. Added to this is the fact that food processing is also an extremely important secondary industry in Australia. Changes that impact upon the agricultural industry inevitably also impact upon our ability to produce food.

Rural users of the Murray-Darling include individual farmers and crop growers, but also the Australian agricultural industry as a whole. The perceptions of these rural users differ from those of urban users in that, in addition to relying upon the Murray-Darling for much of their domestic consumption needs, their economic well being is usually directly affected as well.

For farmers with livestock (sheep and cattle) the availability of water affects their ability to irrigate pastures. In turn this can have massive impacts upon the quantity and quality of their produce. For farmers growing crops, the problem is very similar in that without being able to use water from the Murray-Darling to irrigate their crop fields, they would not produce sufficient yields to maintain their income. Criticism from within this group is often directed at urban users, who are sometimes perceived to waste water by using it carelessly because they are further removed from the effects of water salinity and water shortages.

The agricultural industry is frequently blamed for the salinity problems which plague rural Australia. The fairly widespread perception that farmers caused Australia's salinity crisis is often used to justify the opinion (mainly of urban populations and governments) that there is no real obligation to assist rural communities in dealing with the effects. Their perceptions, however, stand in contrast to this. They believe that because their industry, responsible for clearing vast expanses of land and irrigating the rivers, was driven by government policy and funding, they should somehow be compensated if they are suffering economically and having to adopt entirely new farming techniques because of environmental impacts.

Another important point to acknowledge when considering the perception of rural users, is that negative economic impacts in the agricultural sector are generally closely followed by undesirable social trends. If the agricultural industry in Australia were to experience any major changes, there would be massive ramifications for all of Australian society. This could potentially include a decrease in Australia's Gross National Product (or income), a reduction in employment levels and changes in population distribution.

Aboriginal communities along the Murray-Darling

Numerous groups of Aboriginal people have formed intricate bonds with the Murray-Darling River system and its tributaries. Their relationships with the land and its water have existed for tens of thousands of years. The lifestyles of Indigenous peoples have been severely affected since European settlement and development of industry within the MDB, as has been the case for Indigenous communities in all parts of Australia over the past two centuries.

The Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal community of the Murray River's mouth in SA is one example of an Indigenous clan which holds a strong cultural and spiritual value to the Murray River. They believe that as the quality of water in the river system continues to decline its mouth will dry up and close, completely destroying the beautiful Kurangh (Coorong) Wetlands which form their home. See image 2

Scientific and environmental experts

Many experts within the scientific and environmental fields agree that salinity is the most serious environmental problem which Australia presently faces. Its potential to affect the nation economically and socially, in both rural and urban contexts, far outweighs any other current environmental concern. While basically all perceptions within this group point to the need for massive intervention into the way Australia manages its enormous expanse of saline land and water, there is no single consensus on what exactly should be done about this.

Some of the more radical perceptions within this group are those of environmentalists that believe the salinity crisis can only be averted by revegetating approximately 80 per cent of rural Australia. While in terms of environmental conservation this proposition may seem ideal, it would have enormous and inconceivable ramifications for the Australian population. Among other things, this would include a huge reduction in food production and agricultural commodities, which would affect our lifestyles and overall standard of living. See animation 1