Thursday, 15 February 2018
MEMBER for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall has expressed his disgust at the vote in the Senate last night to disallow the Murray Darling Basin Plan amendment relating to the Northern Murray-Darling Basin.
“On behalf of the Moree community and others within the Barwon Rivers and Gwydir Valleys, I am disgusted with the vote last night,” Mr Marshall said.
“With $180 million committed to environmental projects in the Northern Basin at risk, the Senators who voted for the Motion last night rejected six years of hard work by the independent authority and by the communities in the northern basin,” Mr Marshall said.
“This disallowance motion hurts communities like Moree which have sacrificed and worked tirelessly to make the Basin Plan work and make the adjustments required.
“That vote alone could put up to 56 local jobs on the line in the Moree district – but those Senators don’t care because all they’re clearly interested in is short-term politics in South Australia.
“They are a disgrace.
“Both Federal and South Australian Labor have made the Basin Plan all about themselves and their political agenda, which is no surprise with the pending South Australian election.
“The northern basin review was always part of the Basin Plan package and rejecting it now undermines the ability of Basin Ministers to make binding decisions at the Murray Darling Basin Ministerial Council.
“This move makes the Basin Plan untenable for NSW and I support Minister Blair’s strong stance for NSW and Victoria to go it alone to provide certainty for our communities and ensure that our region doesn’t suffer any further to satisfy a selfish South Australian agenda.
“I want to assure the communities directly affected that NSW remains committed to delivering sustainable water management across the Northern Basin and I will continue to advocate for the best outcomes that balance the social, cultural, economic and environmental needs of the our community.”