2023-02-24
The Commonwealth must continue to hold the line on delivery of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in the face of NSW and Vic pushing to extend the deadline well beyond 2024, the Greens say.
Minister Plibersek should also confirm voluntary water buybacks will be used to deliver the 450GL promised to South Australia, of which only 5GL has so far been returned.
Greens Water Spokesperson and Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young said:
"New South Wales and Victoria are more than happy to leave SA high and dry. They've been nothing but recalcitrant on delivery of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. It is a disgrace.
"The whole point of the this decade-long Plan was to return water to the environment to keep the River alive because too much is being taken by big irrigators. There are no jobs on a dead river and rotting fish won’t feed the nation.
"We welcome Minister Plibersek holding the line today and rejecting any proposal to extend the time for delivery of the Plan.
"The only way to deliver the Plan on time and in full is with water buybacks.
"Minister Plibersek should confirm voluntary water buybacks will be used to deliver the 450GL, in the meantime, the Greens will keep pushing in the Senate."