On her first full day in the job, new Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek addressed a major water conference, committing the Federal Government to completing the Murray-Darling Basin Plan “as agreed” a decade ago.
Ms Plibersek told the River Reflections conference on June 2 that the plan existed to “manage risks and shocks” posed by climate change.
Southern basin communities, including northern Victoria, are opposed to the recovery of a further 450Gl of water from irrigation districts that have already done a lot of the heavy lifting to achieve water savings.
Ms Plibersek said while the plan to protect a nationally-significant water resource must be completed after “10 long years”, she committed to visiting and listening to basin communities.
“The plan should be all but delivered, instead it remains unfinished, and communities are frustrated by a lack of progress,” she said.
“Labor will bring people together around our common purpose, future proofing the Murray-Darling Basin for future generations.
“I look forward to getting to know the issues, visiting your regions, and to working with you so that we can achieve sustainable outcomes.”
The minister outlined Labor’s five-point plan, which includes increasing compliance across the basin to improve metering and monitoring and restoring integrity and confidence by working with stakeholders to reform water markets and to make river modelling available where possible.
Ms Plibersek also flagged a greater role for First Nations communities and an update of the science that underpins the plan.
The final day of the Mildura conference included a broadside for the NSW Government from Australia's inspector-general of water compliance Troy Grant, who said it was failing to meet its obligations under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
Mr Grant said the Federal Government should use its powers under the Water Act to intervene if water resource plans are not produced.
"I'll let you guess what my first conversation with the new Commonwealth minister may relate to,” he said.
Mr Grant said the plans were important to demonstrate compliance with the national plan and failure to comply was “not fair” to other states.
“It really isn’t a fair playing field across the basin until all plans are accredited.“