New Environmental Initiative Launched

The Member for Solomon, David Tollner today launched an exciting new initiative called TRaCK, the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge research hub, which has been formed to produce critical research into protecting and preserving water resources in northern Australia.

"The Australian Government is a major supporter of TRaCK, with $16 million being invested through its Commonwealth Environmental Research Facilities programme and the National Water Commission's Raising National Water Standards programme.”

"These two programmes have committed $300 million to support the development of world-class, public good environmental research and management of our water resources. Raising National Water Standards is part of the Federal Government's $2 billion Australian Government Water Fund.

"TRaCK funding is also being provided by Land & Water Australia, the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and through the Queensland Government's Smart State Strategy in a truly collaborative national effort,” Mr Tollner said.

A consortium of research organisations and government agencies has been formed to invest more than $30 million to improve understanding of northern Australia's rivers and estuaries over the next four years.

"The research will also contribute to meeting the objectives of the National Water Initiative in northern Australia. Northern Australia's rivers and catchments are valuable natural assets, important for industries such as fishing, tourism, grazing, mining and agriculture.”

TRaCK will engage extensively with the community, including those Indigenous communities that own and manage large parts of the catchments and coasts in tropical Australia.

"It will improve our understanding of the rivers, catchments and estuaries from Cape York to Broome and focus on building Australia's capacity to protect these valuable natural assets while fostering sustainable development opportunities for the region's people,” Mr Tollner said.

The TRaCK consortium is led by Charles Darwin University, CSIRO, Griffith University, Land & Water Australia, the North Australia Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance and the University of Western Australia.

The research effort will be led by TRaCK's Director, Associate Professor Michael Douglas, based at a new TRaCK office at Charles Darwin University.

"TRaCK is ideally placed to fill the significant gaps in our current knowledge of these rivers. It represents a coordinated research effort that brings together social, economic and environmental research, strengthening regional research capability in the process,” said Professor Douglas.

2007-07-31