Kevin Rudd was Prime Minister for only 100 days more than it has taken Labor to undertake due diligence on the Northern Victoria Irrigation Renewal Project Senator Joyce, Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Water said today.
"On Saturday, Labor re-announced the Northern Victoria Irrigation Renewal Project (NVIRP) as if it was new spending. But it's old spending, 856 days old", said Senator Joyce today.
"It has been 856 days since Labor Federal and State Governments signed the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement, which included a commitment to provide $1 billion to NVIRP as a "priority" project. Kevin Rudd was Prime Minister for 934 days.
"As reported in The Australian on the weekend, Labor made a decision to spend $43 billion on broadband in the time it took to fly across the country, but it has taken over 800 days to assess a project which could deliver substantial amounts of water for both communities and the environment.
"It is another example of a Labor Government with its priorities all the wrong away around. You can't download water.
"When the Coalition announced its 10-point water plan in January 2007 it prioritised the investment of $5.9 billion in infrastructure investments. Since then, Labor has spent $700 million more than expected on buybacks, but $350 million less than planned on infrastructure improvements.
"Labor have got it all the wrong way around. Their botched basin plan process threatens jobs, communities and the family farms that provided Australians with affordable, high-quality produce for generations.
"If Labor takes this long to simply do its sums, how long is it going to take to deliver the first drop of water to the Murray-Goulburn region."