The Murray Darling Basin Plan is on the verge of collapse, with a Greens motion to stop changes to the Plan expected to pass in the Senate on Wednesday afternoon.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Greens motion – which blocks a federal government proposal to reduce the amount of water returned to the environment in the Northern Basin – is expected to gain the support of Labor and Nick Xenophon’s team.
The NSW and Victorian government have indicated that if the motion is passed, they’ll walk away for the plan.
Irrigation farmers Kel Williams and Helen Dalton, and Griffith Mayor John Dal Broi and Business Chamber president Paul Pierotti, have all said they would support the state governments moves to sink the plan.
Mr Williams said the end of the Basin Plan would offer the chance for a fresh start.
“It’s time to start over again, to negotiate and get back to where we used to be”.
Mr Williams said any new strategy needs to take account of what’s happening in South Australia.
“The evaporation of the Coorong is responsible for more water loss than what the irrigators take”.
Griffith Business Paul Pierotti said a Basin Plan collapse would need to be followed by a royal commission.
“But we want a royal commission that consider all 31 recommendations of [the 2015] Senate inquiry”.
These recommendations also cover South Australia’s management of its water.
“If the federal government are going to undermine their own processes, legislation and audits – which by the way we don’t agree with – then the whole thing is a disaster”.
“NSW and Victoria have no choice but to protect their communities… and stop us being used as political cannon fodder”.
Farmer Helen Dalton, who stood as a candidate at the recent Murray by-election, said the death of the Basin Plan will bring some much needed respite to basin communities.
“Let’s face it, every drop of water that leaves our area is like losing a drop of health care, or education”.
“I’d hope [in any future plan] they’d finally decide to undertake true consultation with rural and regional communities”.
“For too long, decisions about rural environments have been made in office buildings in Sydney and Canberra”.
Griffith mayor John Dal Broi has also said if the Greens’ motion succeeds, it’s time for NSW to walk away from the Basin Plan.
“You cannot sacrifice communities who have already given up a lot of water… if politicians want to play politics with this, I’d be encouraging the [NSW] minister to pull out”.
“Although they’re talking about the north, we here in the southern basin will be next.”