Inquiry into Menindee ‘catastrophic fish deaths’ to consider ways to prevent future ecological disasters

Terms of reference include water monitoring data, environmental conditions and whether community consultation was sufficient

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An independent inquiry into the deaths of millions of fish in the Darling-Baaka River at Menindee in March will look at whether local management interventions could prevent future fish kills.

The terms of reference for the inquiry, which was announced last month, were released on Monday. They include an investigation of the environmental conditions and water monitoring data in the lead up to the fish kill, the success of the emergency management framework which saw New South Wales Police as the lead agency responding to an ecological and public health disaster and whether there was sufficient community consultation, particularly with First Nations people.

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