Independent MP for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie has welcomed this week’s announcement by Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek that the federal government will honour an $8M commitment to a Goolwa water research institute.

"This institute is critical for the prosperity of the communities of the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth," Ms Sharkie says.

"The Murray Mouth contains vital wetlands of local, national and international scales and contains a productive and uniquely diverse estuarine fish community. It is also a critical habitat for numerous threatened species so this announcement couldn't come soon enough."

"South Australians are all aware that the Murray Mouth is in poor health and that climate change is wreaking havoc on the region. There is a strong community expectation that urgent action be taken to improve the situation," Ms Sharkie says.

"This institute will be a new collaborative approach and the project will be well positioned to provide leadership in this critical area of research.

"I have worked closely with the local community as well as the Goyder Institute to jointly come up with a vision to create a vibrant and prosperous Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth region, using a unique model bringing together First Nations, the community, governments and researchers.

"I have advocated long and hard for this institute, so I am therefore extremely excited to see it finally come to fruition".

The Goyder Water Research Institute will receive $8 million to work with communities to investigate the impacts of climate change on the health of the waterways.

The Coorong and Lower Lakes are Ramsar-listed wetlands, internationally recognised for supporting rare and endangered plants and animals, as well as significant populations of waterbird and fish species.

The wetlands support the greatest wealth of waterbird species in the Murray-Darling Basin; they host important nesting colonies of cormorants, plovers, ibises and terns, and also supports globally endangered species such as the orange-bellied parrot and the Murray cod.

The Goyder Institute is a partnership between the South Australian Department of Environment and Water, CSIRO, Flinders University and the universities of Adelaide and South Australia.

The hub should be up and running in the first half of 2023 with a planned research program.

Minister Plibersek says honouring the previous government's commitment is part of a plan to future-proof Australia’s water resources by investing in critical knowledge to improve management of the region as climate change impacts become more acute.

“Rivers die from the mouth up. Restoring the Murray Mouth, Lower Lakes and Coorong is a critical investment in the health of the whole system.

“An important part of the Goyder Institute’s work will be to develop relationships with First Nations, communities and industries to harness ideas to improve management of this ecologically important area.

“The Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth are not just important ecologically – they’re a tourism drawcard, and support towns, jobs and agriculture.

“Healthy rivers mean healthy river town economies. This is a down payment for the future of the Murray River.

“The projects the Goyder Institute undertake in the next four years will consider all these complex interdependencies to make sure we can manage these precious resources in a way that best meets the needs of our rivers and wetlands, our communities and our industries.

“I want to thank the advocacy of my South Australian Labor colleagues and Rebekha Sharkie MP – who advocated tirelessly for the importance of the Research Institute for the future of the river.

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