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| Howard says water key challenge | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Australian Prime Minister John Howard has announced a A$10bn ($7bn) package to tackle the country's water problems, as it faces a sixth year of drought. | Australian Prime Minister John Howard has announced a A$10bn ($7bn) package to tackle the country's water problems, as it faces a sixth year of drought. |
| Mr Howard said water security was the country's biggest challenge and the federal government wanted to take over the Murray-Darling river system. | Mr Howard said water security was the country's biggest challenge and the federal government wanted to take over the Murray-Darling river system. |
| The state governments of Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria share its management now. | The state governments of Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria share its management now. |
| The idea, coming in an election year, could spark a major political row. | The idea, coming in an election year, could spark a major political row. |
| Mr Howard's critics says he looking for ways to improve his image on the environment, where he is best known as one of the few developed world leaders to have refused to sign the Kyoto protocol on climate change. | Mr Howard's critics says he looking for ways to improve his image on the environment, where he is best known as one of the few developed world leaders to have refused to sign the Kyoto protocol on climate change. |
| The BBC's Nick Bryant, in Sydney, says the Murray-Darling river system is the country's most precious water resource and provides supplies for most of Australia's irrigated farm land. | The BBC's Nick Bryant, in Sydney, says the Murray-Darling river system is the country's most precious water resource and provides supplies for most of Australia's irrigated farm land. |
| The four state governments which manage it are controlled by the opposition Labor party, which has argued that the new proposals represent an unacceptable power grab by the prime minister. | The four state governments which manage it are controlled by the opposition Labor party, which has argued that the new proposals represent an unacceptable power grab by the prime minister. |
| Mr Howard wants the federal government to take over, in what would be the biggest reform of water management in the country's history. | Mr Howard wants the federal government to take over, in what would be the biggest reform of water management in the country's history. |
| He believes that the present system of management is overly bureaucratic, a problem highlighted by the severe drought - the worst in a century. | He believes that the present system of management is overly bureaucratic, a problem highlighted by the severe drought - the worst in a century. |
| "This is our great opportunity to fix a great national problem," he said. "It can only be solved if we surmount our parochial differences," he said. | "This is our great opportunity to fix a great national problem," he said. "It can only be solved if we surmount our parochial differences," he said. |
| The Murray-Darling takeover would cost A$3bn. Mr Howard's plan also envisages spending $6bn on modernising irrigation infrastructure and A$1.5bn on water saving for farmers. | The Murray-Darling takeover would cost A$3bn. Mr Howard's plan also envisages spending $6bn on modernising irrigation infrastructure and A$1.5bn on water saving for farmers. |
| The plan is the second indication in a week that Mr Howard is putting the environment at the centre of his re-election campaign. | |
| On Tuesday he announced a new environment minister, Malcolm Turnbull, a former merchant banker best known for his failed attempt to make Australia a republic in a 1999 referendum. | |
| Mr Howard is expected to call an election in the second half of the year, and his coalition currently trails Labor in opinion polls. |