MEMBER for Murray Helen Dalton has accused the Federal Government of hypocrisy, after it blamed climate change for the two trillion litres of water “missing” from the Murray-Darling river system.
Mrs Dalton said top scientists estimated 20 per cent of water, which should be flowing the river, is not.
She said in response, the Murray Darling Basin Authority said this was due to drought and climate change.
“This comes from a government that has denied climate change exists for years,” Mrs Dalton said.
“Now, they’re saying it’s caused two trillion litres of water to evaporate … what a joke.”
Mrs Dalton said it was clear mismanagement and corruption have played a part in the decline of our rivers.
“It’s been more than three years since the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) started investigating National Party water corruption,” she said.
“But we haven’t even heard an update from ICAC.
“No report, no justice.”
Mrs Dalton said, on a more positive note, she was able to express “cautious optimism” at the news the Federal Government would end all water buybacks.
“I’ve campaigned for three years to end buybacks, so this announcement is a huge win,” she said.
“Losing water has destroyed our communities, we can’t afford to have more taken away.
“I won’t believe this though, until it becomes law.
“It’s now urgent that government measure the massive unmeasured, unregulated water take in the northern basin and factor this into Basin Plan baselines to ensure our communities and rivers remain healthy.”
