SENATOR JENNY MCALLISTER

SENATOR FOR NEW SOUTH WALES

CHAIR, SENATE FINANCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFERENCES COMMITTEE

GREENS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE MURRAY DARLING BASIN

This week marks the four year anniversary of the Greens voting for a motion to disallow the Murray Darling Basin Plan, in a political marriage of convenience with Bob Katter.  In 2012 Senator Hanson-Young described the Plan as a ‘dud’ but voted in support of it this week.

Labor Senator Jenny McAllister yesterday moved a motion to reaffirm Parliament’s commitment to the MDBP as a “historically unprecedented way forward” for the fragile waterways in the Basin. The motion was prompted by the recent controversy about the Plan, the lack of a firm commitment for the Basin’s funding from Barnaby Joyce, and the use of the Plan as a bargaining chip in crossbench negotiations.

Senator Hanson Young said last week that “Refusing to implement the Murray Darling Basin Plan in full, including the additional 450 gigalitres of environmental water, will put our precious Murray River at risk.”

Back in 2012 she said “What is in this plan is a dud. It does not protect the river system for the future, it does not set us up for resilience and it is going to waste $11 billion in the meantime.” 

Senator McAllister said “I was appalled when the Greens tried to scuttle the Murray Darling Basin Plan four years ago, and relieved when they abandoned their former position to support our motion today.”

“If the Greens had prevailed back then, this debate would look very different today. It’s time we worked together to ensure the Plan continues to deliver outcomes for communities and the river system.”

“The Plan brought the states together on this for the first time, and it took leadership to get it done. We must work together to vigorously defend it. It I hope the Greens stay on the side of the Murray Basin this time.”

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