Fed: Thompson says billions of dollars needed for environment

00-00-0000
Fed: Thompson says billions of dollars needed for environment

Actor and Landcare advocate JACK THOMPSON says Australia needs to wake up and spendbillions of dollars on fixing land and water degradation.

He says the mighty Murray River is in serious trouble and water from it could be undrinkablewithin 50 years.

Mr THOMPSON says as much as $65 billion will be needed in the next decade to help fixthe problems.

He's told the National Press Club a football field a day is being lost to salinityand within the lifetime of today's children, a third of productive land will potentiallybe unusable.

Mr THOMPSON says there's too much bickering between federal and state governments onthe issue and who would foot the bill to fix the environment.

AAP RTV lm/daw/ldj/jas

KEYWORD: THOMPSON (CANBERRA)