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The Border Watch : October 30th 2013
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NEWS TIPS newsroom@tbw.com.au High-tech energy initiative praise MINISTER for Mineral Resources and Energy Tom Koutsantonis has congratulated Oceanlinx on the launch of its one megawatt wave energy convertor, which will be towed to Port MacDonnell later this year. Mr Koutsantonis attended the official launch at the Oceanlinx workshop at Techport Australia’s common user facility at Osborne on Friday. “Oceanlinx is to be congratulated on the launch of this fantastic innovation,” Mr Koutsantonis said at the launch ceremony. “I’m very proud to be at this historic occasion and I’m proud that South Australia is leading the nation in renewable energy technology. “Not only are we innovative in coming up with viable, high-tech solutions to problems of global signifi cance, but we are also translating these solutions into real production of clean energy which is being used by everyday households.” He said the State Government was committed to achieving 33pc electricity generation from renewable sources by 2020. Techport Australia’s maritime industrial precinct was used for the construction of Oceanlinx’s wave converter unit - the second wave energy project to have been constructed at the common user facility. A network of case managers within the State Government have played a key role in providing support to Oceanlinx in navigating through the necessary approvals required to bring the project to fruition. KEY ISSUES n Millions of dollars in water entitlements to be stripped from irrigators n Claims proposed forestry expansion buffer is 22pc more than what is needed n High value Mingbool and Coonawarra irrigation enterprises to be hit hard n Irrigation cuts fl agged of up to 51pc in some areas n Claims by irrigators water levels have “stabilised” n Water Minister Ian Hunter will not comment publicly on tweaked water allocation plan n More than $800,000 expected to be raised in new forestry water levies NEWS 6 DEEP CUTS: Mingbool farmer and irrigator Tony Beck has called for the draft South East water allocation plan to provide a fairer outcome for the multi-million-dollar irrigation industry. Mr Beck stands with one of his sprawling irrigation centre pivots at his Mingbool property, which is fl anked by softwood plantations. Picture: SANDRA MORELLO Water budget ‘bias’ criticism CLASSIFIEDS FOR ITEMS UNDER $100 (see conditions below) CLASSIFIED FORM $ Ph: Name: ............................................................................................................................................................. Address: ....................................................................................................................................................... Phone: ............................................................................................................................................................ CONDITIONS: 1. Only one item per advertisement. (Single items only). 2. Advertisement copy must be lodged on this original form. Photocopies and facsimiles will not be accepted. 3. Price of item must be stated in the advertisement. (Total value of item for sale must be $100 or less). 4. Private sales only (not businesses). 5. Maximum of 12 words. 6. The free classifi ed form is valid for one insertion only. 7. Advertisements may be excluded at the discretion of the manager. 8. Forms to be lodged at The Border Watch for inclusion in the next available Tuesday issue. 9. Deadline is 10.00am Monday prior to publication. 10. Excludes pets, livestock, produce and plants. Drop forms into: The Border Watch 81 Commercial Street East, Mount Gambier Phone (08) 8724 1555 This classifi ed form is only valid for insertion into The Border Watch on Tuesday 5/11/13 618160 6 - The Border Watch, Wednesday, October 30, 2013 Irrigators claim cuts favour forestry From front page $160,000 in his water licence entitlements. Mr Hunter is also under fi re for only scheduling 30 minutes in Adelaide for a crucial meeting with irrigators next month, while the South East Natural Resources Management Board has come under scrutiny for holding all talks about the water management blueprint in confi dence. More than $800,000 will be raised through the new forestry water levy. While The Border Watch requested a response from Mr Hunter on a string of key issues raised by Mr Beck, the water minister declined to comment. But in a single sentence statement, Mr Hunter said “I look forward to hearing the views of South East irrigation industry stakeholders when I meet with them next month”. In a broadside levelled at the proposed water plan, Mr Beck warned irrigators were facing heavy cutbacks but the forestry industry had a buffer, which was a startling new development and meant the forestry sector had been allocated up to 22pc more than operators were required to report on. “Irrigators will lose under the plan - our entitlements will be taken away and given to forestry,” Mr Beck said. While there had been lengthy meetings with stakeholders, he said the document had been tweaked to include the forestry buffer at the 11th hour. While the irrigation sector was not against water allocation cutbacks to safeguard the water resource, he said the cuts would hit irrigators deeply and there needed be a fairer balance between forestry and irrigation. “The irrigators have always advocated a fair go for forestry, but we want things to work properly,” Mr Beck said. He said he stood to lose nearly “This has been taken away to give to forestry,” he said. Alarmingly, he said the high value irrigation areas such as Mingbool and Coonawarra would be hit hard by 14pc and 15pc cuts. “This is a big cut to irrigation enterprises given their high value,” Mr Beck said. He said Mingbool was home to dairyfarmers, large potato growers and specialist crops. Meanwhile, he called for further discussion before heavy cuts to irrigators were rushed in. “There is no need to react rashly - they don’t need to panic,” Mr Beck said. “The water levels have stabilised quite nicely. “I don’t oppose some cuts that have been deemed necessary .... nobody wants to see water graphs head downwards, but we don’t want to see the water allocation plan adopted hastily.” He said he hoped some of the issues could be worked through during the visit with the minister. Mr Beck said he was also “amazed” the water plan had not been discussed by the natural resources management board while media were present and claimed all board members had been silenced through confi dentiality agreements. He also called on the government to publicly announce if the forestry expansion moratorium - which affected 15 areas at risk or over allocated - would continue. “We are in the dark on this issue,” he said. “We need to see the fi nal details and I fi nd the fact the minister has only allocated 30 minutes for stakeholders as insulting.” Free
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