CEDA welcomes PM Howard's water and energy focus

This is an archived CEDA media release. It reflects the state of events at the time it was issued; it may not reflect current facts or CEDA's current view.

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CEDA today welcomed the Prime Minister's call to "maintain a sense of urgency" on water reform and to avoid "blame-shifting between governments".

The Prime Minister spoke today to the largest CEDA audience in the organisation's 46-year history, in an address singling out energy and water as key issues for Australia's long-term future. 

CEDA also welcomes the Prime Minister's comments:

• embracing COAG (the Council of Australian Governments) as a vehicle for driving innovation in water reform
• calling for effective water trading between the states
• favouring water recycling and storm water capture.

CEDA's chief executive, Ms Catherine Baldwin, noted that CEDA had argued for all of these measures in the 2004 CEDA report, Water and the Australian Economy.

"Over the course of the past quarter-century, as shown by the annual World Competitiveness Yearbook, Australia has overcome a series of policy challenges to become one of the world's best-run nations.

"With the right focus on our water and energy problems, CEDA believes, we can meet these challenges too."

CEDA has been holding a series of forums on energy and water use. That focus continues this week with discussions on climate change at CEDA events in both Melbourne and Sydney. (See http://ceda.com.au for details.)

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For further information please contact:

John Harris
Corporate Relations Director
Phone 03 9652 8415

Email info@ceda.com.au