Sharman Stone MP

 The Rudd Labor Government announced it would spend another $300 million on water buy backs last week. They are targeting Murray, Goulburn, Loddon and Campaspe systems for the buy back.

 

Dr Sharman Stone, Federal Member for Murray, said it was a great shame the Government hadn’t put their untargeted buy backs on hold until the Murray Darling Basin Plan had been finalised.

 

“The point of the Murray Darling Basin Plan is to advise the Government on the very best way to restore the environment and communities in the Basin.

 

“However, Labor has taken it upon itself to continue to damage livelihoods, the environment and communities as they go on with their non-strategic buy backs that leave the region with stranded assets and higher costs for those who want to continue to farm.

 

“Purchasing from so called “willing sellers” is a farce. Many of these irrigators after years of drought, low dairy and fruit prices, low water allocations, and high water costs have little option but to sell their water.

 

“Already, 50 percent of our region, including some of the most fertile land is not in production due to lack of water. If this margin increases, then Australia’s food security is lessened and food prices will go up.

 

“People can still sell water on the market if they want to, but these sales are usually between irrigators. When you sell to the Federal Government, the water is taken out of the irrigator’s pool forever,” Sharman Stone said.

 

Dr Stone said people came to information sessions by the thousands to express their concerns about even more water being taken from them without any understanding of the huge consequences.

 

“There are currently 3 inquiries being undertaken about the effects the Murray Darling Basin Authority’s Guide will have on the communities in the Basin and we still have no indication of just how much water is needed for the environment or if indeed there is enough water available already.

 

“How can the community trust that the Guide will eventually give the best outcome when the government is charging ahead with little consideration for what its final outcomes will be?”

 

“Each year the government spends more and more on buy backs but spends very little on water saving infrastructure and on-farm water saving measures.”

 

“Labor needs to stop its non-strategic purchasing, start spending money on sensible water saving infrastructure, use some commonsense and take on board the feedback from the people across the Basin,” Sharman Stone said.