WATER issues and the Murray-Darling Basin Plan (MDBP) were the hot topics at last night’s Sunraysia Daily federal election candidates’ forum at the Mildura Arts Centre.
Almost 200 people attended the two-hour forum to hear the candidates speak about issues of importance to the Mallee with the NDIS, health services, infrastructure, the Mildura Base Hospital management model and the passenger rail service all raised.
Nine of the 13 Mallee candidates attended – independents Ray Kingston, Jason Modica and Cecilia Moar; Anne Webster (Nationals); Carole Hart (Labor); Chris Lahy (Citizens Electoral Council); Rick Millar (United Australia Party); Dan Straub (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers); and Rick Grosvenor (Fraser Anning’s Conservative National Party).
Nicole Rowan (Greens) and Leigh Firman (Science Party) supplied statements read to the audience.
Candidates were divided when questioned whether there needed to be a royal commission into the MDBP.
All candidates agreed there needed to be a royal commission except Ms Moar, Dr Webster and Ms Hart.
Dr Webster said while the MDBP was not perfect, recommendations made by the Productivity Commission at the end of last year, and this year’s Vertessy report into the Darling River fish kills, needed full implementation.
“It’s only through collaboration and a bipartisan approach that the whole Murray-Darling Basin Plan can be remedied and I think we have to have hope that that can actually happen,” she said.
Ms Moar said she would advocate to move the entire Murray-Darling Basin Authority to be based in Mildura to oversee management of the MDBP.
“We need to have one body managing because it’s obvious the states will not ever agree to distribute the water fairly and it does have to be distributed fairly,” she said.
Mr Kingston said due to the amount of questions and uncertainty around the MDBP there was only one way forward.
“I can’t see any way forward except to pause the plan, review it in full and to hold a royal commission. I can’t see any other way to restore faith,” he said.
Mr Modica said when the water portfolio was taken from environment and joined with agriculture by former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull it led to a “turbo-charging of the destruction of the northern connected basin”.
“The National Party has ignored this issue,” he said.
“I’m running because Andrew Broad told me the market would sort it out. Now the market is on fire, water is worth $7000 a meg, it could be $12,000 next year if we don’t have any rain.”
The one thing all candidates agreed on was the need for a return of a passenger rail line to Mildura.
For more coverage, pick up your copy of Thursday’s Sunraysia Daily, 9/5/2019. We’ll also have more analysis and coverage in Friday’s Sunraysia Daily. To subscribe to our Digital Edition, click here
