Fed: Deputy PM hopeful of breakthrough on water=2
Mr Anderson said it would be a tragedy for Australia if the COAG agenda was hijackedby the health issue.
"I think that would be a tragedy for Australia because while water's out of sight,out of mind, we don't concentrate on it quite so much, there can be nothing more importantfor the long term well being of the nation than using water sustainably," he said.
Rural communities would be crippled if there was no agreement on water today.
"More of the sort of standoff and uncertainty and crippling of rural communities whilewe have on the other side of the coin yells and screams about why can't we get sustainabilityand fix the Murray River - that's what we'll get if we don't get agreement today."
A national agreement would give farmers more certainty and would allow water rightsto be traded across state borders.
The package also includes a $500 million, five-year plan to help rejuvenate the ailingMurray-Darling river system.
Under the Murray-Darling package, the federal government will contribute $125 million,with South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales to make up the remaining $375 million.
Mr Anderson said stakeholders would have to be properly consulted and then governmentswould have to make decisions on the flow regimes needed.
AAP sal/sjb/bwl
KEYWORD: COAG 2ND D/L 2 CANBERRA
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