| By Nadia Papotto
Set to be held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre on May 20 – 22, the Irrigation Australia Exhibition 2008 is the largest event of its kind in the southern hemisphere, and is expected to attract up to 3,000 visitors over the three days, along with 500 Australian and overseas delegates expected to gather for the concurrent Irrigation Australia Conference.
Due to the ongoing and ever-spanning issues around water security and supply in Australia, the Irrigation Australia Exhibition and Conference 2008 is an important event for anyone in the urban irrigation industry.
“With the latest technology on display at the Exhibition, it will showcase the best products to make sure that we in the irrigation industry can work with the community, businesses and governments to help save water and use it as efficiently and effectively as possible. The conference will provide the forum for new ideas to be presented and discussed, and the workshops will offer the chance to take up developments in best practice,” says CEO of Irrigation Australia Limited (IAL), Jolyon Burnett.
Two years ago, the importance of irrigation best practice in relation to our daily lives was forecast at this same conference and exhibition; this included the way by which we lived, the food we produced and the price we pay. It was there recognized that the predicted climate change would indefinitely have an affect on the irrigation industry, and now abroad in Australia, this same realization has become evident to all.
“We still have to address these issues and it is abundantly clear that technology and best practice in irrigation are vital parts of the solution,” says Jolyon
|
With the running theme, “Share the Water, Share the Benefits”, the conference will address issues around two key sectors of the irrigation industry; that of rural and urban irrigation. On this note, Irrigation Australia 2008 will be an initiating event for Irrigation Australia Limited, a new reputable body for irrigation in Australia. Formed in 2008, IAL incorporates water authorities, delivery companies, educators and government, manufacturers and distributors, as well as end users in the rural and urban irrigation sectors of Australia.
The events major sponsors for 2008 are Horticulture Australia Ltd and the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts supported by gold sponsors Netafim, the National Program for Sustainable Irrigation; followed by other confirmed sponsors such as Toro Australia, Water Dynamics, and Zero Waste. With all different sectors of the industry integrated under one roof and one theme, the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong will be officially opening the Irrigation Australia Conference 2008.
“We are delighted that the Minister has agreed to open the conference and deliver the keynote address. The conference will be eager to hear the Minister’s plans to speed up the implementation of the national water plan and to raise the focus on ensuring environmental sustainability of all water extraction,” said Stephen Mills, president of Irrigation Australia Limited.
www.irrigationaustralia.com.au
|
