Senator Perin Davey
Deputy Leader of the Nationals
Shadow Minister for Water
Shadow Minister for Emergency Management
Senator for New South Wales
The Hon Mark Coulton MP
Federal Member for Parkes
8 September 2023
Labor targets numbers not outcomes with Murray Darling Basin Plan
Communities across the Murray Darling Basin would be concerned by weakening social and economic protections contained in legislative amendments introduced into Parliament this week.
Environmental outcomes appear to have been swept aside in the chase for numbers under Labor’s revised Murray Darling Basin Plan according to Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton.
“The Government’s Bill fundamentally ignores the intent of the Basin Plan originally agreed to by all sides of politics in 2012. This original plan was one which would not destroy the social and economic fabric of our communities whilst also delivering environmental outcomes,” Mr Coulton said.
“It is now apparent that the goal for the Labor Government is to transfer 450GL worth of licences to the Government from anywhere in the Basin regardless of whether it can actually be used for environmental benefit.
“In a cost-of-living crisis, Minister Plibersek is choosing to take water out of agricultural production which will only further increase the grocery bill of families in the Parkes electorate.
“There is genuine fear about what these changes mean in our rural, regional and remote communities,” Mr Coulton said.
Shadow Water Minister Perin Davey said the flow-on impacts of water leaving irrigation districts goes well beyond the farm gate.
“That is why when the Nationals and Liberals were in Government the focus was on off-farm or in-river water savings.
“Minister Plibersek says all options are on the table but wants to start with buybacks rather than with new ideas.
“By creating new measures of water recovery for the 450GL, against which the social and economic test will not apply, the Minister is effectively admitting that buybacks hurt communities, but that she doesn’t care.
“She says she will compensate the communities impacted yet won’t say how the impact assessment will be made or what the compensation will look like.
“All too often in the past, compensation packages offered by governments have been tokenistic when the real need is for a wholesale economic adjustment.
“As much as we all love painted silos or an upgrade to the local footy oval, that in no way compensates for the closure of a rice mill or dairy processing plant.
“Due to the disgraceful lack of consultation with affected communities, the Liberals and Nationals will be pushing for a Senate Inquiry to directly engage with and hear the concerns of these communities firsthand,” Senator Davey said.