2019-10-16
The Senate has today passed a Greens’ motion calling on the Federal Government to rule out giving any public funding to dam and water infrastructure projects that circumvent environmental assessment and don’t abide by proper environmental protections.
The motion moved by Greens Spokesperson for Water and the Environment, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, was in response to the NSW Government’s plans to water down environmental rules to fast-track approvals for new dams and pipelines.
“The Murray-Darling River is in environmental collapse and bypassing environmental protections will do more harm,” Senator Hanson-Young said.
“Plans to override environmental protections will have negative impacts on downstream communities and the health of the River system.
“The NSW Government has itself admitted its building dams “for the future and to give hope” to communities that are running out of water. Its own allocation rules mean water in any new dams won’t even be used for the community or the environment.
“All evidence shows spending more public money on these dams will only deliver more water for big corporate irrigators. Building dams will not make it rain.
“The Federal Government’s decision to spend public money on new dams that won’t go through proper environmental and economic assessment is reckless and they should follow the will of the Senate and rule it out.”