Pipe protester arrested on own property

"It's a sad day for democracy": Farmer Deb McLeish had the backing of her extended family after being led away by police on her Yea farm yesterday.

LANDOWNERS planning to resist the Brumby Government's controversial north-south pipe were sent a clear message yesterday when a 50-year-old woman was arrested for obstructing the project.

Less than a week since work started on the 70-kilometre pipeline, Yea farmer Deb McLeish was arrested on her own property when she tried to prevent workers from entering her land to perform surveying works.

A group of close to 20 anti-pipe campaigners gathered at Ms McLeish's property as she attempted to defy the Water Act of 1989, which gives pipeline workers legal permission to enter private properties.

Workers used ladders to enter the property as the stand-off with Ms McLeish showed no sign of abating.

Shortly before 2pm Ms McLeish was led away and charged after she again tried to stand in the workers' way.

"It's a sad day for democracy when you get arrested on your own property," she said.

Workers are expected to return to her property as early as this morning, but Ms McLeish said police had warned of stronger charges if she attempted to obstruct workers again today.

Ms McLeish said she wanted to demonstrate that the Government did not have the approval of landowners to carry out works on private land, but Water Minister Tim Holding said access had been given by 85% of landowners along the pipe route.

Melbourne Water said correspondence had been ongoing with Ms McLeish since August last year and the work was rescheduled to today at the landowner's request.

Premier John Brumby urged property owners to accept that pipe workers had a legal right to enter their properties.

"If you look across a map of Victoria there are literally thousands of underground pipelines … and they all access somebody's property," he said.

Mr Brumby also invited Professor Tim Flannery, to inspect the project after he labelled the Government's justification for the plan as "bullshit" during an address in Melbourne on Tuesday night.

Professor Flannery accepted the invitation, saying he was particularly interested in how the Government planned to power the pumping of water through the pipe.

"I'm not entirely knowledgeable about the (pipeline) scheme, but just concerned that it's taking water from an already stressed system," he said.

Melbourne Water will negotiate with power companies to buy about 70,000 megawatt hours of renewable energy each year to offset the power used from the electricity grid to pump the water through the pipe.

Victorian Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu — who earlier this week backflipped on a pledge never to take water through the pipeline to Melbourne — seized on Professor Flannery's comments, saying he had branded the north-south pipeline "a dud".

"Tim Flannery says taking water from a drought-stricken catchment is the wrong thing to do. He said exactly what we have been saying and exactly what we will continue to say," he said.

China coal rights above climate change fears

The giant state-owned China Shenhua Energy group has won the right to explore for coal in a northern New South Wales section of the Murray-Darling river system.

The $600 million tender, which will cover 190 square kilometres of the Gunnedah Basin, has fuelled concerns about the effects of mining on rich farmland and groundwater reserves [and climate change fears.]

The area, south-east of Gunnedah, is next to BHP Billiton's Caroona coal exploration site - the focus of a battle with farmers over the effects of a potential mine.

NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald says he is not concerned that the company is owned by the Chinese Government.

"I'm not worried about state-owned companies like some people are," he said.

"Many of the major corporations in South Korea that already have investments in Australia are state-owned.

"Over many years, we've had many countries invest in Australia that are essentially state-owned."

Mr Macdonald says money was a key factor in the Government's decision.

"But also, there's a number of other factors relating to the mining - the strength of the company, which is the world's largest and clearly, a very solid foundation."

Both the state and federal governments have rejected a call from local communities for an independent study on the effects of mining on groundwater reserves.

The federal MP for New England, independent Tony Windsor, says the Gunnedah basin decision is a sign of hypocrisy the over future of the Murray-Darling river system[ and climate change fears.]

"We have the Federal Government in South Australia saying, 'Oh, we made short-term decisions without long-term knowledge in terms of water resources and now we're going to have to rectify that,'" he said.

"I think the real motivation here is both the state and the Commonwealth have refused to be part of an independent study because they're more interested in the short-term cash."

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Hope dries with water in Murray's lower lakes

Meagre flows down the Murray have exposed mudflats near its mouth.

WITH publicly controlled water reserves in the Murray-Darling plunging to a new low, the despondency of communities on the dying lower lakes deepened yesterday as river managers warned there was no chance of transferring water within the basin.

As this dramatic photograph of the Murray mouth and adjoining lakes shows, drought and over-pumping of the river water have wrought more destruction in the past three years than anyone could have imagined.

The fresh water on the right side of the barrage - which for more than 60 years has separated it from the salt water of the Coorong and, beyond the silt-ridden Murray mouth, the Southern Ocean - used to be a massive series of lakes.

In recent years, however, the meagre flows down the Murray have dramatically shrunk the lakes, exposing wide swaths of mudflats, and increasing salinity and the risk of acidification.

The Murray-Darling Basin Commission revealed yesterday that public dams and other reservoirs were barely one-fifth full, when they would normally be between half and two-thirds of capacity. Worse still for struggling farmers and townsfolk at the bottom of the river, the agency dashed any hope of an emergency injection of water from upstream.

"Given the current level of storage, it's not feasible to refill the lakes by transferring water from other parts of the basin without any significant rain," the commission's acting chief executive, Les Roberts, said yesterday.

"As little as 20 per cent of any water released in the north of the basin would reach the lower lakes in South Australia, meaning that four or five times the water needed at the lakes would have to be released from that far upstream."

To the dismay of locals, this will make more likely the controversial option of flooding the lower lakes with seawater and walling them off from the river with a new weir at Wellington, where the Murray meets the lakes about 35km from the existing barrages.

The South Australian Government has committed $30 million to site preparation for the project, and is negotiating to obtain land from fourth-generation farmer Jamie Withers, 37, who is torn by the prospect of the weir across the river. "It would completely change the way we operate," he said.

For others, it is already too late. Neil Shillabeer, 61, walked away from three generations of family history when he gave up the struggle and sold his farm near Narrung, a spit of land between Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert. "It's a cancer that will work its way upriver," Mr Shillabeer said of the lakes' plight.

Clem Mason, 58, is clinging on at his mixed farm on nearby Poltalloch Peninsula. He can't irrigate and the grain crop that used to go to market to plump up his income is now reserved for his dairy herd.

"What we have down here is not a drought on the land ... it is a drought on the lakes," he said. "The water is simply not coming down."

Not only has the mouth of the river visibly narrowed since 2005, but the once-brimming expanses of Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert have given way to lengthening mudflats, which threaten to turn acidic. The river mouth would be choked off entirely without constant dredging.

The grim comparison between what the lower lakes were just three years ago and their near-disastrous state today was underlined by data released by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission. In July 2005, Lake Alexandrina contained 1600 gigalitres of water. Now, it holds just 940Gl.

Adjoining Lake Albert, at 100Gl, is down from 280Gl three years ago. The Coorong wetlands, opening onto the Southern Ocean, have tipped into crisis as the lakes dropped below sea level behind a series of barrages constructed in the 1930s. Currently, the level of Lake Albert is 0.3 of a metre below sealevel and requires water piped from Lake Alexandrina, which is at -0.4m.

Scientists fear that increasingly exposed soil beds will become acidic if the lakes fall to 1m below sealevel. SA Water Security Minister Karlene Maywald says this could happen by the middle of the next year if inflows to the river do not improve, forcing the state Government to start preparations to build the new weir upstream at Wellington.

The $120 million-plus project would allow the lakes to be flooded with seawater, protecting them from sulphate acid poisoning but ruining existing freshwater ecologies.

"Every river needs a delta, a wetland," Mr Mason said yesterday. "This is the wetland for the whole Murray River and they are going to cut it off. They are very responsible for their actions, and they are going to be remembered for them."

When full, the lower lakes hold a combined 2200Gl. But their extensive surface area and shallow depth means they lose up to 950Gl annually in evaporation and seepage.

The MDBC estimates that up to 1250Gl would be required to fill the lakes and maintain levels for a year. However, only 350Gl was forecast to flow into them in 2008-09.

Garrett backs Wong on Lower Lakes seawater plan

Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has reiterated comments by Water Minister Penny Wong that there is not enough water in the Murray-Darling system to save the Lower Lakes, saying they may need to be flooded with seawater.

Mr Garrett says the lakes will either dry up and become acidic or be flooded with salt water if it fails to rain.

The Federal Government is yet to make a final decision on whether to let seawater into the Lower Lakes, although preliminary work has begun.

Mr Garrett says the Government is looking very closely at what measures might be necessary to save the lakes.

"We certainly haven't given up on the lower lakes, but there's no doubt at all that we are in a really terrible situation and we are faced with some incredibly difficult choices," he said.

Udated: 11:43am (AEST)

Fed Govt 'open' to buying Murray-Darling properties


Murray's lower lakes: Anythings worth a try - upstream properties may help it.

A staff member for Federal Water Minister Penny Wong says the Government is open to the idea of buying properties on the Murray-Darling system as a way of returning water to the rivers.

The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) says federal and state governments should use big water storages on properties in Queensland and New South Wales to help the ailing lower regions of the Murray-Darling system.

The ACF has identified six properties with big water entitlements that are for sale in the basin, including Toorale Station and Darling Farms in New South Wales and Cubbie Station in Queensland.

Dr Arlene Buchan from the ACF says the properties, and others on the market, should be bought and the water used to flush the river system.

"They can provide not only medium- and long-term benefits to the environment but short-term benefits too," she said.

"And it's possible that water could be transferred right through the system to Meningee Lakes and offset water which is released from Meningee Lakes which would reach the lower lakes and the Coorong."

Senator Wong is not available personally to comment on the ACF plan.

A spokeswoman for the Minister says the Government plans to spend $3 billion over the next decade buying up water entitlements to return to the Murray.

She says the Government is open to the idea of talking to willing sellers.

Updated: 4:30pm (AEST)

Buy out water-hoarding properties: ACF

Large water-hoarding properties in the Murray-Darling Basin should be acquired so water can flow to the downstream lower lakes, a conservation group says.

The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has called on the federal and state governments to consider buying six properties along the Darling River, in western NSW.

That would provide at least 300 gigalitres of water in the short term which could help revive the struggling river network, ACF healthy rivers campaigner Arlene Buchan said.

"There is actually a lot of water in the northern basin and the government has a golden opportunity to buy that water from willing sellers and transfer it through the system," Dr Buchan said.

"Buying these properties would be a win-win-win for the environment, for the communities in the basin and for willing sellers."

South Australia's freshwater lower lakes, which are at the mouth of the Murray River, are turning to acid because water levels are so low.

Authorities are considering walling off the lakes and flooding them with seawater.

But the ACF wants the government to try to save the lakes by buying up more water from upstream irrigators instead.

The ACF and the Inland Rivers Network have delivered a report to governments detailing which properties should be targeted and how much water they store.

Greens senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young backed the call.

"This new plan from the ACF shows that if we were to release water that is currently being held in the Menindee Lakes immediately, that water would flow down to the Coorong which is where it is needed desperately.

"Over 50 per cent would reach the Coorong and that would help the problem for the moment," Ms Hanson-Young told reporters.

"You could then release water that is bought back from western NSW and Queensland to top up the Menindee lakes - that would avoid the losing water by evaporation that has constantly been used as an excuse for not going down this path.

"The water is available - but we need the political will.

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Dying river leaving mark on family budget

FAMILIES will suffer hip-pocket pain with the revelation food prices are heading only one way - up.

Following claims the nation's food bowl - the Murray-Darling Basin - is on life support, the prices of grocery items from bread and wine to milk and oranges will rise.

National Farmers' Federation chief executive Ben Fargher said scientific forecasts of less water and hotter temperatures were not good news for farmers - or consumers.

Combined with ongoing drought and water shortages, the high global demand for food and the increasing costs of fuel, fertilisers, chemicals and labour, Mr Fargher predicted price rises "across the board".

"It's hitting now, we're seeing upward pressure on prices now," he said.

Implementing an emissions trading scheme would also put upward pressure on prices, Mr Fargher said.

"We have two options. We can either somehow think that it's all doom and gloom, or we can support our farmers and give them tools to adapt, like new infrastructure, to be more water efficient."

Price increases are certain to hit the dairy industry as well as irrigated crops like rice, fruit and vegetables, nuts and legumes.

The days of cheap wine are almost certainly over while reduced grain production - which will be the case if enough rain doesn't fall in time for this year's winter crop - will result in higher bread prices.

Less grain also means less feed for the red meat and poultry sectors, resulting in more expensive chicken, beef and lamb.

Chief market analyst at Meat and Livestock Australia, Peter Weeks, said consumers were already seeing some retail price rises as a result of the high cost of grain.

"If climate change is here to stay then it has to mean higher meat prices because of higher grain prices around the world," he said.

Australian Citrus Growers chief executive Judith Damiani said irrigators were experiencing unprecedented conditions, with another year of low to zero water allocations.

"The consumer doesn't want to hear about more price rises," she said.

"But everyone has to face the fact Australian food will cost more."

Australian Dairy farmers President Allan Burgess said the price of milk was "more likely to go up than down.

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Murray-Darling water forecast figures
The report says that by 2030 there could be 41 per cent less water available in the Murray-Darling. Water availability in the Murray-Darling could drop by almost half by 2030, according to a new report released by the Prime Minister.

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The report says that by 2030 there could be 41 per cent less water available in the Murray-Darling.

Water availability in the Murray-Darling could drop by almost half by 2030, according to a new report released by the Prime Minister.

Kevin Rudd announced the findings of the CSIRO report at the Hume Dam near Albury Wodonga with Climate Change Minister Penny Wong.

The report says that by 2030 there could be 41 per cent less water available in the Murray-Darling and flows to the Lower Lakes near the mouth of the system could drop by almost 70 per cent.

Mr Rudd says inflows into the Murray are now only one sixth of the long-term average.

"We've been tracking worse than the CSIRO's mid point scenario out to 2030," he said.

"Taking in climate change factors what does that mean? The medium point of their projections is in fact better than it is today. In other words we have a real problem on our hands," he said.

Mr Rudd says reducing the pollution that causes climate change can help prevent the water situation from getting worse.

"We can't promise it's going to rain, but what you can do is have a credible long-term strategy on climate change hence the carbon pollution reduction scheme, a credible medium-term strategy when it comes to buying back entitlements and a credible immediate-term strategy which is about upping the efficiency in the way in which we use this precious resource," he said.

The Hume Dam is part of the Murray-Darling system and is now sitting at 17 per cent capacity.

The release of the CSIRO's figures comes ahead of the Government's launch on Wednesday of its green paper on climate change and an emissions trading scheme.

Senator Wong says the report shows that Australia must implement an emissions trading scheme.

"This shows us yet again how climate change is a present problem as well as a problem for future generations and that is why we now must act," she said.

The Murray-Darling Basin Commission's latest update on the basin, released last Thursday, showed June inflows were at a record low.

The state and territory governments signed an agreement with the Federal Government at the last COAG meeting on July 3 to form a new authority which would oversee a strategy for the maintenance of the basin.

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Water fuel car unveiled in Japan

New Fuel Cell System 'Generates Electricity with Only Water, Air'

Kouji Kariatsumari, Nikkei Electronics Genepax Co Ltd explained the technologies used in its new fuel cell system "Water Energy System (WES)," which uses water as a fuel and does not emit CO2.

The system can generate power just by supplying water and air to the fuel and air electrodes, respectively, the company said at the press conference, which took place June 12, 2008, at the Osaka Assembly Hall.

The basic power generation mechanism of the new system is similar to that of a normal fuel cell, which uses hydrogen as a fuel. According to Genepax, the main feature of the new system is that it uses the company's membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which contains a material capable of breaking down water into hydrogen and oxygen through a chemical reaction.

Though the company did not reveal the details, it "succeeded in adopting a well-known process to produce hydrogen from water to the MEA," said Hirasawa Kiyoshi, the company's president. This process is allegedly similar to the mechanism that produces hydrogen by a reaction of metal hydride and water. But compared with the existing method, the new process is expected to produce hydrogen from water for longer time, the company said.

With the new process, the cell needs only water and air, eliminating the need for a hydrogen reformer and high-pressure hydrogen tank. Moreover, the MEA requires no special catalysts, and the required amount of rare metals such as platinum is almost the same as that of existing systems, Genepax said.



Unlike the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), which uses methanol as a fuel, the new system does not emit CO2. In addition, it is expected to have a longer life because catalyst degradation (poisoning) caused by CO does not occur on the fuel electrode side. As it has only been slightly more than a year since the company completed the prototype, it plans to collect more data on the product life.

At the conference, Genepax unveiled a fuel cell stack with a rated output of 120W and a fuel cell system with a rated output of 300W. In the demonstration, the 120W fuel cell stack was first supplied with water by using a dry-cell battery operated pump. After power was generated, it was operated as a passive system with the pump turned off.

This time, the voltage of the fuel cell stack was 25-30V. Because the stack is composed of 40 cells connected in series, it is expected that the output per cell is 3W or higher, the voltage is about 0.5-0.7V, and the current is about 6-7A. The power density is likely to be not less than 30mW/cm2 because the reaction area of the cell is 10 x 10 cm.

Meanwhile, the 300W fuel cell system is an active system, which supplies water and air with a pump. In the demonstration, Genepax powered the TV and the lighting equipment with a lead-acid battery charged by using the system. In addition, the 300W system was mounted in the luggage room of a compact electric vehicle "Reva" manufactured by Takeoka Mini Car Products Co Ltd, and the vehicle was actually driven by the system.

Genepax initially planned to develop a 500W system, but failed to procure the materials for MEA in time and ended up in making a 300W system.

For the future, the company intends to provide 1kw-class generation systems for use in electric vehicles and houses. Instead of driving electric vehicles with this system alone, the company expects to use it as a generator to charge the secondary battery used in electric vehicles.

Although the production cost is currently about ¥2,000,000 (US$18,522), it can be reduced to ¥500,000 or lower if Genepax succeeds in mass production. The company believes that its fuel cell system can compete with residential solar cell systems if the cost can be reduced to this level.

Reuters Video: Water fuel car unveiled in Japan