Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says that salt water flooding of South Australia’s Lower Lakes would be environmentally, socially and economically disastrous for lower Murray communities.

The South Australian Government has requested advance approval from its federal counterparts to let sea water into Lakes Alexandrina and Albert if the drought continues.

“Sea water flooding of the Lower Lakes would be nothing less than disastrous for this cherished part of South Australia,” she said.

“The Government must cease running up the white flag on the Lower Lakes, and instead tell us what its plan is to avert the worst case scenario from happening.”

Senator Hanson-Young pointed to evidence from the Senate Inquiry that just 30 to 60 gigalitres of fresh water are needed for the Lower Lakes to survive through summer, and that this amount of water is available in the southern Basin.

 “The Greens and the communities around the Lower Lakes want to know: when is this fresh water coming?” she asked.

“The lower Murray is suffering a painful wait for its fair share of water allocation for environmental flows.”

Senator Hanson-Young called on Environment Minister Peter Garrett to commission an independent risk assessment of the potential consequences of salt water flooding of the lakes before considering approving the South Australian Government’s request.

“We need to see the evidence that salt water flooding will not contaminate the groundwater of the area around the Lakes, or cause lasting ecological damage,” she said.

“That’s Mr Garrett’s responsibility as the Minister under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act.”

Senator Hanson-Young said that there were other options to be considered before salt water flooding.

“Evidence presented to the Senate Inquiry put forward options like bioremediation as preferable to devastating salt water flooding.

“Our Water and Environment Ministers need to think harder before simply dialling up permission to run up the white flag on South Australia’s Lower Lakes.”