MEDIA RELEASE

As recently stated by Fair Water Use, when it comes to decisions about Australia’s water future, “the main game is taking place in the back-rooms of our elected representatives and the board-rooms of corporate water-mongers, predominantly overseas players.”

Recent actions of State governments confirm that this wheeling-dealing activity shows no sign of abating, especially with respect to the Murray Darling Basin.

The fall of the cards to date:

• The Victorian Government’s imposition of a 4% cap on the trading of water licences out of the state 
• Commencement of construction of the North-South Pipeline by the Brumby Government, a project described by the Senior Advisor on Water Issues to the President of the United Nations General Assembly as “about the stupidest idea that has ever been conceived”
• The decision of the Rann Government in SA to pursue High Court action against the Victorian cap
  
• The declaration of an NSW embargo on trading of water licences to prevent further purchase of environmental water by the Federal Government
  
• The statement by NSW Premier Rees that his government may join its SA counterpart in the High Court challenge
  
• The announcement by Victorian Premier Brumby of a slow and partial phase-out of the 4% cap in return for a $ 300 million cash pay-out from the Commonwealth
  
• Confirmation by SA Premier Rann that his government intends to persist with its High Court challenge
  

- and Queensland? – What can one hope for when a State Government spokesperson is on record as stating that much of the rain which falls in the Darling catchment "breaks out into floodplains or alternatively feeds into terminal wetlands, resulting in a great loss of this water"?

Meanwhile, as the States persist with their puerile bickering, they encourage water speculators to drive the privatisation agenda, stripping this country of its water assets.

The Federal Government must move to put an end to this destructive farrago, by declaring a State of Emergency with respect to the Murray-Darling Basin; closely followed by the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into its management and governance. Otherwise, if ever these inter-State tantrums cease, precious little unencumbered public water will remain for Australians to share.