2018-06-08
South Australia has been sold out and the Murray has been failed following the Ministerial Council’s decision to crabwalk away from the Murray Darling Basin Plan today, The Australian Greens say.
“Today’s decision by the Water Ministerial Council is a blow to South Australia and the survival of the River. The Turnbull Government and upstream states are crab-walking away from the objective of the Murray Darling Basin Plan – to save the River,” Greens Murray Darling Basin spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“The decision to drop the environment from the considerations of securing more water for the River is devastating.
“Sadly the new South Australian Water Minister has raised the white flag and come home empty handed. Hopefully after today he learns that if you give these upstream states and inch, they’ll take a mile.
“There are no jobs, no farms and no communities on a dead River. Short term greed of corporate irrigators is killing the Murray Darling Basin.
“We need this 450GL, as previously promised, to ensure the environment thrives, the Murray Mouth is able to stay open and that our Coorong and Lower Lakes survive. We can’t get that if the Marshall Government waves the white flag and thinks turning on the desalination plant is going to solve the River’s problems.
“The Liberals lack of care for the River’s health will go down like a lead balloon in Mayo. Georgina Downer may as well re-pack her suitcase and go back to Victoria.”