The Australian Greens today called on the Federal Government to speed up action to save the Murray Darling system.

"The Government have now had two eye-opening reports in as many days. It is obvious what is needed now is a much more radical approach than the Government is currently planning," said Australian Greens Senator Siewert.

Senator Siewert was responding to the release of the first Murray Darling Commission system-wide health check – a report card on the ecological health of 23 river valleys that make up the Murray Darling system. The report found ecosystem health of just one of the 23 regions studied was in 'good health' while 20 were in poor or very poor health.

"Under the Government's current approach, their much vaunted basin plan doesn't come into effect until 2019. It is obvious from the information we've received in the last two days that the system will be gone by then. Instead of fiddling around the edges of the current system, the Government should be requiring changes to be made now rather than when water sharing and catchment management plans expire, like they are expected to in Victoria in 2019."

"We need a living plan for the river system in which all water extraction and use is accounted for, with biophysical targets for key ecosystems and an ongoing system for monitoring and managing ecosystem health," said Senator Siewert.

"Time is running out for the Murray Darling. At the very least, we need an immediate release of water this winter to give the system a reprieve, alongside fast-tracking of further water purchases. The Government needs to be prepared to work with all stakeholders to create a new approach to land use and the way the system is managed."

"It will never be business as usual for the Murray Darling. We need to accept that and start working on future effective plans. What is needed is nothing less than a fundamental change in the way we think about the entire system," she concluded.