Water Minister launches Melbourne-Monash major water research initiative

22 March 2007

From left: Uniwater Chair Professor John Lovering, Monash University Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard Larkins, Water Minister Mr John Thwaites, Uniwater Director Professor John Langford and University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Glyn Davis toast the launch of Uniwater on 22 March 2007, World Water Day.

Victorian Minister for Water John Thwaites today -- World Water Day - officially launched Uniwater, the University of Melbourne-Monash University research-driven response to the current water crisis, on the banks of the Yarra.

The two leading Australian universities have joined forces in Uniwater -- each putting in more than $1 million over three years - to spearhead a unique collaboration which creates a powerful critical mass of expertise in water-related research.

University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor, Professor Glyn Davis, and Monash University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Richard Larkins, will attend the launch.

Director of Uniwater is Professor John Langford who has headed the University of Melbourne's Melbourne Water Research Centre. A Research Development Manager will be located at Monash.

Uniwater's independent board is chaired by Professor John Lovering, a distinguished geologist and a former President of the Murray Darling Basin Commission and Chairman of the Victorian Environment Conservation Council.

Uniwater has four strategic objectives --

1. Maximising environmental return on investment in repair of rivers, groundwater and catchments.
2. Realising the potential of irrigated and dryland agriculture using less water.
3. Providing a reliable and sustainable water supply to Australia's growing cities, and
4. Developing water policies and institutions within a Federation framework.

Uniwater's research will focus on two geographic locations -- Melbourne and the Goulburn Valley, Victoria's food bowl and part of the Goulburn Murray river system.

Minister Thwaites said World Water Day focused our attention on the extent of water scarcity problems around the globe. "Ten years of severe drought conditions has had a significant impact on our water supplies here in Victoria," Mr Thwaites said.

"With the lowest recorded rainfall and stream flows on record, our water supply planning is taking into account that these conditions may continue into the future. This new collaboration between the University of Melbourne and Monash University will further develop our ability to provide sustainable water supplies into the future by increasing our knowledge and understanding of water issues."

Professor Davis said Melbourne is delighted to join with Monash to make a significant research contribution towards resolving one of Australia's most pressing economic and community issues. "Uniwater will assemble the foremost thinking to help drive important new conversations we must have as a community to help us understand the complexities of the water issue."

Professor Larkins said that Uniwater reflects the two universities' significant and complementary strengths in research. "Putting our joint capabilities together will ensure critical gaps in water-related research will be more easily identified and filled to achieve the best community outcomes.

"Uniwater will put the best team together to tackle any particular strategic objective and that means the best team might include researchers from other institutions who have the 'right fit' capabilities."

For more information, contact Tim Winkler on 0409 551 743.