While the significant rainfall we have seen in the Northern Murray Darling Basin over the past few weeks has given much needed relief to communities, the failure to develop an independent national authority to manage the river system as a whole, is now another missed opportunity by the Federal Government to help save the Lower Murray, Lakes and Coorong.

With no national authority with the teeth to manage water sharing agreements and act as an umpire between the states, the lower stretches of the Murray and the environment will continue to miss out on the drink they need.

South Australia's Lower Lakes are at crisis point and need the full attention of the federal government. Fair water sharing could have seen the recent rainfall in northern Australia offer the environmental allocation the Lower Lakes need. Saving this internationally significant site is not a job for South Australia alone, and the Federal Government must take responsibility for driving its protection.

The Greens will continue to campaign for the Government to take action.