2018-05-08
This is worse than a shocking deal from the Labor Party and the Turnbull Government. It’s a heartbreaking one.
They have teamed up together to put the entire health of the Murray Darling Basin at risk.
The Coorong and SA’s lower lakes are dying. Our river system needs more water, not less.
But instead of delivering more water for the Murray, Labor has teamed up with the Turnbull Government to reduce the amount of water returned to the environment.
South Australians who trusted Labor to fight for the Murray at the last election have ended up being played for fools. Now, Labor’s agreed to backflip on its February opposition to the Northern Basin’s 70 billion litre cut, in addition to 605 billion litre downstream .
Labor said it supported a healthy river before the state election. Now it’s sold out.
In exchange for Labor’s sellout, the Government agreed to “reiterate” its support for the 450 gigalitres of upwater. That’s it. No plan, no legislation, just a “reiteration”.
Without a legislative commitment, Labor’s gained nothing, and it’s sold out the River.
The Greens will be moving to make the delivery of the 450 gigalitres law. The test will be what Labor and the Government do when it's brought to a vote.