MEDIA RELEASE

Confirmation that irrigation group, Murray Valley United, is proceeding with its Federal Court claim, seeking damages arising from the misguided water reform policies of the Federal Government, came on the same day as the Federal Water Minister stated that the Commonwealth could get the action it needed on the Murray-Darling “without setting up camp in the courts”.

Far from being the visionary statement so urgently required, the Minister’s speech to the South Australian Press Club yesterday was a compromised, vote-buying exercise; a sad continuation of the ugly blame-game which has impeded meaningful progress on the water crisis. Moreover, in the course of her presentation, Senator Wong confirmed that to date only one State has signed up to a Water Management Partnership Agreement, integral to the Commonwealth’s much-criticised National Water Plan.

The Minister continued to ignore the ever-louder calls for a complete Commonwealth takeover of the governance of the Murray-Darling Basin and for the appointment of a suitably empowered and independent management entity: a body which understands that only a healthy river system can provide the ecological services essential to Basin communities and the millions of Australians who depend on its water and produce, and prioritises security of environmental flows and public water supply.

As long as Minister Wong fails to take these long-overdue actions, she will face an increasing number of actions - of the legal variety - coming at her from communities, special interest groups and State Governments; and her Party must prepare for a severe backlash at upcoming State and Federal ballots.