Lake Eyre Basin Rivers 248 megapit 181 megatrends, Lake Eyre mining industry 177–84 metals prices, decline 182, 183 methane production coal seam gas industry 186, 187 shale gas industry 188 middens 96 Mid-Murrumbidgee River Wetlands 168 migratory fish species 36 Miljoori (spoonbill) 95 Millennium Drought 130 Milson, Laddie 121 Mineral and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016 (Qld) 200 Mineral Resources Act 1989 (Qld) 157, 201, 203, 206 Minerals and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Act 2014 (Qld) 200, 203 mineral sands 177 mineral tenements 197 mini-boom inflows 56 mining accidents 182 mining exploration 89 controls 206–7 environmental impact of 230 Lake Eyre Basin and 237 regulation of 157, 209 mining industries 6, 63, 84, 85, 117, 197, 208 banning of 218 deregulation 209 economic costs 169, 170 employment 106 environmental costs 70–1, 110, 121, 126, 169–70 Lake Eyre Basin 173–91, 222 management of 71, 72, 224 Mount Isa field 179–80 proposals for 64, 101 protection from 223 Queensland legislative support 158, 217, 234 water resources and 13, 159, 205 mining leases 200, 218 Minister for Natural Resources (Qld) 79, 100, 156, 157, 216 Minister for Natural Resources and Mines (Qld) 157, 207, 222, 223, 225 Minister for the Environment (Qld) 223–4 Minister for Water (Cth) 133 Minister for Water Resources and Maritime Services (Qld) 219 Ministerial Forum 86, 87, 98, 224 Mitchell grass downs 65 Mithaka 95, 101 moderate rainfall periods 68 monitoring 24 irrigation and mining activities 71–2 Lake Eyre Basin 27 monitor lizards 105 monsoon rains 8, 31, 43, 108 Moonie River 164, 165 mosquitofish (Gambusia sp.) 14, 37, 43, 47, 49, 50 Mount Isa 63, 103, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178–80, 182 Mount Lofty Ranges catchment 164, 165 movement behaviour, fish 50 Mowana (budgerigar) 95 mud survival, Cooper Creek turtle 59 mulga snake (Pseudechis australis) 70 Mulligan River x, 31, 32, 33, 36, 48, 50, 196, 197, 214 Multhuri (pelican) 95 multi-well sites 218 Munkerran (white ibis) 95 Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii) 38, 40, 43 Murray–Darling Basin x, 6, 19, 27, 33, 38, 39, 40, 43, 48, 50, 52, 78, 79, 80, 82, 83, 100, 109–10, 127, 131, 137, 145, 154, 156, 159, 231, 232–3 comparisons with Lake Eyre Basin 219 economic value 162–70 irrigation and 12, 13, 129 threats to 121 Murray–Darling Basin Plan 132, 133, 134, 142, 147– 8, 167–8, 235 economic values and 163 Murray River 121, 128, 134, 161, 162, 164, 165, 166 Murray River turtle (Emydura macquarii) 57 Murrumbidgee River 71, 164, 165 Nappa Merrie gauge 22, 154, 164, 165, 204 nardoo (Marsilea drummondi) 3, 4, 6, 104 Narran Lake system 127, 130, 133, 137, 141, 219, 221 National Centre for Aboriginal Water Research 98, 99 National Heritage Trust 85, 235 National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW) 148 National Party (Qld) 156, 219 National Water Initiative 2004 213, 215 National Water Reform Framework 1994 216 native fish populations 43, 162, 165, 166, 167 Cooper Creek 44 improvement of 163, 164 Lake Eyre river basin 34 river flows and 231 native mammals, decline of 63 native millet (Panicum decompositum) 128 native rodents 66, 71 native vegetation clearing controls 206 improvement of 163, 165 natural flows Cooper Creek basin 43–54 irrigation and 209 protection of 207, 208, 218, 223, 225 natural habitat degradation of 12, 40, 51, 230 fish species 33–6 fragmentation of 71 protection of 218 natural irrigation 108 natural justice, environmental policy and 209 natural resource management 91 Lake Eyre Basin 197, 225 Queensland legislation 201 natural resources management groups 207 Nature Conservation Act 1992 31 Neal, Don 219 Neales River x, 7, 8, 21, 24, 25, 26 Newman, Campbell 152, 157, 207 New South Wales 7, 33, 40, 59, 127, 132, 133, 137, 138, 141, 152, 162, 195, 220 New South Wales Government 139, 146, 148 flow diversion and 149 irrigation developments 141–2