Skip navigation

Fish Kill Report Must Force Overhaul of Water Department: Greens

profile image
Cate Faehrmann
NSW Greens MP
1 September 2023

The NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer’s finding that mass fish deaths in the Darling-Baaka River was due to the failure of existing legal environmental protections in water law not being enforced or implemented should warrant an overhaul of the NSW Water Department, says Greens MP and water spokesperson Cate Faehrmann.

“The Chief Scientist’s release of his findings and recommendations makes for grim reading. The NSW Water Minister must look at what changes are needed within her water department to ensure the river health is prioritised”, said Ms Faehrmann.

“These terrible fish kills, off the back of the carnage we saw in 2018/19, are clearly a manifestation of the overall degradation of the broader river ecosystem resulting from decades of wilful mismanagement of water in NSW.

“The NSW Government’s response to the declining health of the Darling-Baaka River system has been woeful for years. 

“In 2020, the ICAC found that NSW water department officials had been giving favourable treatment to irrigators for at least a decade and this report suggests that this is still the case.

“The Chief Scientist is sending a very strong message that the Government is failing to uphold the water law of this state and the Darling-Baaka River is dying as a result.

“The first and foremost recommendation made by the Chief Scientist is that our water management laws actually be enforced by the Government.

“This review makes clear that further mass fish deaths are likely. In fact, I’ve spoken with locals along the Darling-Baaka River this week who tell me that things are already looking grim at Menindee with stagnant water and some large cod dying again. 

“With increasing temperatures and the likelihood of reduced flows going forward, this isn’t going to be the last time we see a catastrophic environmental event like this,” says Cate Faehrmann.

profile image
Cate Faehrmann
NSW Greens MP
1 September 2023
SHARE:

THE LATEST NEWS

MEDIA RELEASE

Govt Puts Gambling Industry First by forgoing $1 Billion in gambling tax revenue

The state budget handed down today is yet more proof that the Minns Government cares more about the interests of the gambling industry than it does the people of NSW, says Greens MP and gambling harm reduction spokesperson Cate Faehrmann.

MEDIA RELEASE

Auditor-General Report confirms Government is failing to reduce poker machine harm

A Performance Audit by the NSW Auditor-General released today into the Regulation of Gaming Machines exposes the Minns Government’s ongoing failure to effectively regulate poker machines in order to reduce the substantial harm they cause, says NSW Greens MP and gambling harm reduction spokesperson Cate Faehrmann.

PARLIAMENT

Road Transport Amendment (Medicinal Cannabis-Exemptions from Offences) Bill 2025

As The Greens spokesperson for drug law reform and harm reduction, I am proud to once again introduce a bill into this place that seeks to right an injustice in our road laws that makes criminals out of thousands of people in this State for doing nothing wrong. The Road...

MEDIA RELEASE

Minns must stop dragging his feet on Warragamba flood mitigation measures

As Hawkesbury residents brace themselves for the threat of yet another flood, Greens MP and water spokesperson Cate Faehrmann has renewed calls for the NSW Government to act on recommendations to use Warragamba Dam as a flood mitigation tool. 


CAMPAIGNS