There are reports today the Labor Government's Minster for Water, Tony Burke, has responded to criticism of the Government's decision to delay the draft Murray-Darling Basin Plan by saying that he "would look to reintroduce water buybacks as soon as possible to help cope with the delay."[1]
Exactly who is the Minster planning to help cope by buying more water back?
Further delays in the Plan have heightened anxiety for Basin communities. The remedy for this anxiety is not for the government to restart its ad hoc and uncoordinated buyback process.
The Government has still yet to respond to the House of Representatives inquiry's recommendation to cease all non-strategic water buybacks immediately.2[ The Coalition recognised these problems in its election policy released almost a year ago now when it called for a "more strategic approach" to water buybacks.
The Government's silence on this matter fits the pattern of mismanagement, delay and fiasco that has marked its approach to the Murray-Darling Basin. The Government has given people no confidence that it will resist the Greens' plans cut water use by 7600 GL, even though the Basin produces 40% of our food.
How can the government give anyone confidence when their first response to criticism is more water buybacks?
I also note today that the reported mid-October release of the draft is actually not a set date. Mr Craig Knowles this morning has released a statement stating that:
We're aiming to finish the work by mid-October and will put out the draft as soon as we can after that.]3[
This is just farcical and it's not good enough.
It's time to let people know when the report will be released by choosing a date. That's the only way that the MDBA can be held accountable.
If there is a valid reason for further delay then fine but continuing to keep people in limbo does not help build confidence in the process.
]2[ House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Australia 2011, Of drought and flooding rains Inquiry into the impact of the Guide to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, May, recommendation 7, p. xx.
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