The Government has announced today another delay on the Murray-Darling Basin plan. The proposed Murray-Darling Basin Plan was expected in the next few weeks but now won’t be delivered until mid-October.
The people of the Murray-Darling want to get the right plan as long as it may take. The frustration is they are given promises that are never delivered on. It’s time for the Government to pick a date and get it right.
This continual game of announcement then delay just adds to the uncertainty and anxiety for the people who have invested their lives in the Basin.
The silver lining is that with this delay the Government has the chance to get things right in the Murray Darling. The government can put an end to non-strategic water buybacks in line with the Coalition’s election policy and the recommendations of the recent House of Representatives inquiry. The government can open its mind to consider changes to the Water Act in line with the recommendations of a Senate inquiry and the government can accept more than just one of the 21 recommendations of the House of Representatives inquiry.
If the government does not change its approach it won’t change the result.
The Labor government’s record on the Murray-Darling has been one of continuning delays:
· Last year the Government promised to release a Guide plan, and then delayed the date three times.
· In 2009 the government finally announced an MDBA board after an 18 month delay. Half of the board have resigned in the past six months.
· In 2008 the Government promised to invest $5.8 billion in water saving infrastructure, they have spent only $70 million on projects that deliver water into the Basin so far.1
· Before the 2007 election the government promised to re-engineer the Menindee Lakes, not a sod has been turned.