LNP fails Murray Darling Basin

A dry Darling River

The Liberal National Government has shamefully stopped the Senate from delivering vital water back to the Murray Darling Basin today.
"The Liberal National Government's refusal to lift the freeze on water buybacks is another nail in the coffin for our precious River. On day one of Parliament we could have done something to help our River, instead the Liberal National Party has failed it again," Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

"Water buybacks are the most economically efficient and environmentally effective way to return water, and health, to the River, as the South Australian Royal Commissioner and the Productivity Commission have said. The Senate today could have returned water to the River if it weren't for a Liberal National Party protecting their corporate irrigator mates.
"If we continue with business as usual it the River will die. There are no jobs, no river communities and no agriculture on a dead river. This is a Government that is missing in action on saving the River.
"Former Water Minister Barnaby Joyce boasted that he took water away from the environment for his big corporate irrigator mates. The River is dying on the National Party's watch and the Government refuses to act. Meanwhile, river communities are watching millions of fish, and our river, die before their eyes.
"We need water buybacks reinstated urgently, so we can give our River a drink. We need a federal Royal Commission, and tomorrow I will introduce a Bill to establish one. It is time to get to the bottom of what is killing the river; corporate cotton, corruption and climate change."

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Greens’ Murray Darling Basin Royal Commission Bill before Senate

Australian Greens environment and water spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has this afternoon introduced a Bill to establish a Royal Commission into the Murray Darling Basin.

“I introduce this Bill today on behalf of the millions of Australians devastated by the mismanagement of the Murray Darling Basin, for the people without clean water to drink or watching fish die, and for taxpayers who have been continuously ripped off,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

“The Government and Labor have an opportunity to be on the right side of history and support this Royal Commission. We know that corporate cotton, corruption and climate change are killing our river and it must be investigated.

“$13 billion and what we have is a dead River, corruption and no one knows where the water is that was meant to save the River. A Royal Commission is the only way to clean out the rot and hold those responsible to account.

“The National Party has overseen the death of the Murray Darling Basin. Their contempt for the environment, their favours for their big corporate irrigator mates, cannot continue unchecked.

“We need to know where the money has gone, where the water is, and why the river is dying. We need to investigate the effects that corporate cotton, corruption and climate change are still having on the river.

“The Greens push for a federal Royal Commission has a groundswell of support across the country, particularly from those on the frontline in affected river communities – people who have no clean water to drink or bathe in.

“We have to hold those who have done wrong by our river to account. There must be consequences for wrong-doing. We need a federal Royal Commission.”