Wong fails water leadership test

The Australian Greens have urged Water Minister Penny Wong to rise above
parochial politics and live up to her role of leading the nation on
water policy, saying the House of Representatives should accept the
amendments passed by the Senate today.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said she was surprised to find
Minister Wong had been playing off South Australian towns against other
communities further upstream on water security in the Murray-Darling
Basin.

"Minister Wong has pitted the communities of Dubbo, Wagga and Mildura
against communities in Adelaide, Port Pirie, Whyalla and Keith - by
suggesting the former will have ample water and the latter will be 'at
risk' from Senate amendments to the Water Act," she said.

"This is nothing more than playing old-style parochial politics.

"Minister Wong's 'divide and conquer' strategy is desperate and will not
work."

Senator Hanson-Young said that the Greens, Independent Senator Nick
Xenophon and Coalition Senators were providing the lead for Minister
Wong by moving for the Murray-Darling system to be put on a sustainable
footing that will directly benefit South Australian towns.

"We must ensure that water in the system is used to support the
communities within the system, and to secure the long-term health of the
Murray-Darling through adequate environmental flows," she said.

"The Senate has agreed to the Murray-Darling Basin Authority putting
together a plan for populations outside the Basin to reduce their
dependency on the river.

"Rather than crying foul, the Government should recognise this as a
responsible principle, and start supporting these communities in getting
on the front foot in becoming smarter with water.
 
"It is totally wrong for Minister Wong to stoop to scare-mongering about
water security, simply because the Senate has provided improvements to
her plans for the Water Act.

"The Greens call on the Government to accept the Senate's amendments in
the House of Representatives, so that the improvements to the Bill can
stand."

Media contact: Gemma Clark on 0427 604 760


Excerpt from Minister Wong's media release dated 26 November 2008:

"During the debate on water reform in the Murray-Darling Basin, Liberal
Senators from South Australia voted to enforce reductions on the amount
of domestic and industrial water that could be taken from the Murray by
towns and cities that lie outside of the Basin - including Adelaide,
Port Pirie, Whyalla and Keith.

Meanwhile under this amendment to the Water Amendment Bill, towns and
cities within the Basin, such as Dubbo, Wagga and Mildura, would be
unaffected."