SA councils fear ratepayers will be burdened with cost to clean up carp in River Murray after release of herpes virus
RIVER Murray ratepayers may be forced to cover the cost of the carp clean-up if the herpes virus is released, local councils fear.
RIVER Murray communities could face a rates hike to help cover the cost of removing tonnes of dead and putrid carp from the waterway, local councils fear.
The eight SA councils affected by the potential release of the herpes virus in the Murray, believe they will be burdened with the clean-up costs, or the fish will be left to rot.
They say they are being drip-fed information, or given none at all, on the Federal Government’s $15 million National Carp Control Plan, adding to their concerns.
The plan, not expected to be finalised until late 2018, was to investigate a mass kill of millions of European carp in the Murray and to rebuild the native fish populations.
If approved, the virus could kill thousands of carp within the first 24 hours of release.
The plan’s “carpinator” Matt Barwick has previously admitted to the ABCthere was no easy clean-up solution and in many areas the fish would be left to decompose.
Renmark Paringa Council mayor Neil Martinson said the councils continued to have unanswered questions when information was released on the plan.
“They need to communicate more with the respective communities along the river and the 1.3 million people in Adelaide who draw water from the supply point at Mannum,” Mr Martinson said.
“We need to know who is going to bear the cost of clean-up and where they’re going to put the anticipated enormous amount of dead fish.
“We wouldn’t like to reduce services or increase rates, but that’s something that would have to be looked at if the council was burdened with the cost.”
The affected councils unanimously agreed this month to lobby the Local Government Association for support to voice their concerns to the plan’s co-ordinators.
LGA president Lorraine Rosenberg said it was concerned about any costs being shifted to councils by government, because councils collect less than four per cent of national taxation.
Mid Murray Council mayor Dave Burgess said the carp control plan would benefit the river environment and community, but “right now, we feel there is too much uncertainty”.
Mr Barwick believed the councils’ concerns would be resolved by the end of the year when affected local governments and communities were consulted on aspects of the plan.
He said over the next 18 months work would be focused around the method of implementation of the plan, the cost and its clean-up, with giant vacuums, booms and haul nets being considered.
“After this is determined, discussions will then take place among relevant Governments with respect to resourcing,” Mr Barwick said.
Primary Industries and Regions SA strategy, policy and invasive species manager John Virtue said work had just started on the scale and methods for the clean-up of carp.
