2019-03-06
The ANU scientific report into water efficiency infrastructure is another piece of scathing evidence showing the Murray Darling Basin Plan is failing, the Greens say.
“Billions of dollars that was meant to be spent saving the River has instead been handed to big irrigators and has left the environment in collapse. This report from the ANU is yet more evidence that the Plan to save the river is not working,” Greens environment and water spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“These so-called water efficiency measures have failed. Instead of forking out billions to corporate irrigators for measures that don't return water to the river, we need to lift the ban on buybacks and place an embargo on corporate cotton growers extracting water from the river.
“There is a huge financial burden on taxpayers for this failure, and a massive environmental cost. As river communities brace for more fish kills, and suffer through drought, the Liberal National Government cannot keep hiding from this dire issue.
“The Greens will continue to push for a federal Royal Commission to get to the bottom of what is going on, and clear out the corruption.
“Economists, lawyers and respected scientists are telling us business as usual is leaving the river for dead. The Liberal National Government is overseeing the destruction of the nation’s most important River system, it must be investigated.”