The Greens cannot support the Government’s proposed changes to the Murray Darling Basin Plan in their current form.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens Spokesperson on the Environment, Manager of Business in Senate, Senator for South Australia:
“After more than a decade the Murray Darling Basin Plan has failed to deliver the water our environment needs. In order to get Greens support for delaying the Plan, we need a guarantee that water, real water, is delivered for South Australia, the environment and the health of the river.
“We will refer the legislation to a Senate inquiry for interrogation. We are willing to work with the Government to improve this Bill, but in its current state it does not deliver the assurances that South Australia or our River needs.
“Without a guarantee that the 450GL of water that was promised will be delivered, this bill will just kick the can down the road.
“After over a decade of inaction we must see water flowing for the environment before the next election. The river dies from the mouth up which is why the guaranteed delivery of 450GL to the Southern Basin will help ensure health of the entire river system, ecosystems and economies that rely on it.
“The Greens will continue conversations with the Government in good faith as the Bill goes to inquiry.”