2018-02-09
Australian Greens Murray-Darling Basin spokesperson and Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young is urging her SA colleagues to hold firm on defending the River Murray amid news that the Labor Party is in talks with the Government over changes to the Murray Darling Basin Plan that would reduce the amount of environmental water.
“It’s deeply concerning that Labor is now negotiating with the Government on changes to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. My message to Labor is: don’t go to water over threats and blackmail from the Federal Government and upstream states,” Senator Hanson-Young said.
“South Australian senators of all stripes stood side by side last year to defend the River after scandals of corruption and water theft came to light, we need to come together again to save our river.
“The Government wants to change the plan to strip more water out of the river to hand over to corporate irrigators, ripping off the environment. The Greens’ disallowance, which will be voted on next week, will stop this.
“I’m calling on all South Australian MPs and Senators to come out strongly in support of the Murray. I’m a proud South Australian, and it’s a no-brainer that we should be fighting for the life of the Murray together.
“South Australians are getting the raw end of the deal on changes to this plan. We’ve been misled about how much water our river system would lose, and now we’re being blackmailed by upstream states that have been caught out looking after their big irrigator mates too many times.
“The Plan is being undermined by dodgy figures and greedy corporate irrigators. There must be an independent audit into where taxpayers’ money has gone and where the water is going, urgently. South Australia deserves the water it was promised; it’s life or death for the Murray and that is too great a risk for Labor and the crossbench to take. I urge all South Australian Senators to stand strong on the Murray and support The Greens’ disallowance next week.”
Media Release Water and Murray Darling Basin