The Australian Democrats today called on the State Government to introduce two initiatives to help the South Australian public save endangered native plants species and reduce our demand on the River Murray.

The initiatives to reduce South Australia’s demand on the River Murray include:

• assisting the public to establish and maintain low water use native gardens;
• returning more of the parklands to native bushland.

"Many South Australians would welcome an opportunity to reduce the demand on the Murray, reduce their water bills and protect our endangered native plants at the same time," Australian Democrats leader, Mike Elliott, said today.

"The only thing that is stopping them is the availability of native plants and proper education on how to establish gardens with local native trees, grasses and shrubs.

"The State Government must provide better education on how to build native gardens and provide native nurseries based on regional species in all our National Parks.

"Of the over 1,000 native species listed as endangered in the State Act around 700 of them are plant species.

"The Democrats’ preference would be for large areas to be kept free to protect endangered native plants in their native habitat, and that is why we are also calling for more of the parklands to be returned to native bushlands.

"However, with the State Government ignoring the growing imposition on native vegetation in the Hills Face Zone, the public also need to be given the opportunity to make a difference.

"By returning our backyards and parklands to native vegetation we can save money, save our endangered plant species and help save our River Murray."