Govt in for fight with states over basin

26 Oct 2012, 4:26 pm   -   Source: AAP
Ms Gillard will announce, in South Australia on Friday, that 450 billion litres of water will be back in the river from 2019, at a cost of $1.7 billion, ABC radio reports.

Ms Gillard will announce, in South Australia on Friday, that 450 billion litres of water will be back in the river from 2019, at a cost of $1.7 billion, ABC radio reports.

The Gillard government on Friday announced a boost in water and funds to the Murray Darling basin, but Liberal states don't want to give a drop more.

RELATED

The federal government is set for a showdown with the eastern states after announcing plans to pump billions of litres of extra water into the Murray-Darling Basin ecosystem.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Friday pledged extra funding to put an additional 450 gigalitres into the system, lifting the total to be returned under the Murray-Darling Basin Authority's draft plan to 3200GL.

The government next week will rush legislation into parliament to lock up the $1.77 billion in extra funding, as its self-imposed deadline for finalising the basin plan nears.

The announcement has appalled some farmers but delighted South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill, who dropped his threat of a High Court challenge against the draft basin plan.

But the stoush over the River Murray is far from over, with Liberal governments in the basin states of Queensland, NSW and Victoria dashing hopes of a deal.

Victorian Water Minister Peter Walsh branded the announcement a "stunt" to appease SA, saying the government should be pursuing the 2750GL model agreed in July.

"Ms Gillard and (Environment Minister) Tony Burke have engaged in a fantasy trip with South Australia, promising measures that other basin states cannot and will not accept," he said.

NSW expressed doubts about how the government would fund its promise, while Queensland vowed not to negotiate further if basin towns were left out in the cold.

The coalition's Murray-Darling Basin spokesman, Simon Birmingham from SA, cautiously welcomed the announcement but called for actual details.

Mr Burke, who can make any final decision on his own, said he remained optimistic about striking a deal with the warring parties before the end of the year.

Ms Gillard said the opposition was divided over the Murray-Darling and needed to be clear about where they stand.

"I think the people of South Australia and the people of Australia are entitled to a better approach than that from the opposition," Ms Gillard said.

Up to $200 million of the extra cash will first be used to remove river constraints, such as low-lying bridges and undersized dam outlets, to help free the additional 450GL for the environment.

The majority of the $1.77 billion will then fund water recovery projects on farms instead of buying back water from irrigators, a strategy staunchly opposed by the National Farmers Federation and many more critics in the eastern states.

NSW Farmers' water spokesperson Helen Dalton said the announcement was disappointing and $1.77 billion won't come close to covering the costs of removing constraints and decommissioning purpose-built irrigation areas.

Crossbench MPs Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor, whose support the government will need to pass its legislation, said the details needed closer scrutiny.

Mr Windsor said it appeared to be a win-win for the environment and rural communities, while Mr Oakeshott said his first instinct was to back it and move on.

SA independent senator Nick Xenophon said he would move amendments if necessary to ensure his home state wasn't hung out to dry.

The Australian Conservation Foundation warned Mr Weatherill to go over safeguards in the agreements with a fine-toothed comb to ensure it was "rock solid and watertight".

"If they're not, this extra money will just be used as a giant ATM machine by irrigation companies again," foundation spokesman Dr Paul Sinclair told AAP.

The $1.77 billion will be sourced from existing government funds and cash set aside in this week's mid-year economic outlook.

  • Follow us: 
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Youtube