5 years ago
WORST SUMMER IN THE BASIN’S HISTORY
TONY BURKE MP
Not an additional dollar in the budget to help the rivers in the Murray Darling Basin.
The Federal Treasurer seems unaware of that the Murray Darling Basin has faced one of the worst summers in history. We’ve seen massive fish kills near Menindee and smaller events in many parts of the Basin but the budget has ignored the rivers in the Murray Darling Basin.
There has been report after report in to the Basin and fish kills:
The Federal Treasurer seems unaware of that the Murray Darling Basin has faced one of the worst summers in history. We’ve seen massive fish kills near Menindee and smaller events in many parts of the Basin but the budget has ignored the rivers in the Murray Darling Basin.
There has been report after report in to the Basin and fish kills:
- the Productivity Commission review of the implementation of the Basin Plan;
- the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission;
- the Academy of Sciences review in to the fish kills; and
- the review commissioned by the Minister in to the fish kills.
But the Government seems intent on doing nothing.
Labor is committed to helping our rivers and restoring the Basin Plan. We have already introduced a Bill to repeal Barnaby Joyce’s 1500GL cap on buybacks. In addition, we have committed to:
Labor is committed to helping our rivers and restoring the Basin Plan. We have already introduced a Bill to repeal Barnaby Joyce’s 1500GL cap on buybacks. In addition, we have committed to:
- Requiring the Basin Authority to update the science
- An urgent review of climate change impacts on the Basin now and into the future to determine any change in inflows and evaporation rates
- Urgently renegotiating the Menindee agreement, which determines how the lakes are managed and is now decades out of date, and
- Restoring the current socio-economic test for delivery of the 450GL through on-farm infrastructure projects in the Basin Plan.
Labor will continue to stand up for the environment and protect the Murray-Darling Basin.