Well, I’ve said it before Government failure doesn’t come much bigger than the shambolic mess over the Murray Darling. The 5th Murray Darling Basin Plan was signed into Federal law in November 2012. Under its provisions, 2,750 billion litres of water would be returned to the river system by 2019 for so-called environmental flows. A further 450 billion litres of water (in other words a total of 3,200 billion litres) would be returned by 2024 supposedly via more efficient and smarter water use. An extra 3,200 billion litres is so much water that some say farms along the rivers would be flooded and ruined. Incredible to think a national Government could sanction water theft from irrigators because politicians are too gutless to take on South Australia over its artificial, man-made freshwater lakes at the mouth of Murray which are the source of the river system’s problems. But it is not yet game, set and match. Because Queensland, NSW and even South Australia (which will probably never be satisfied by any deal) are all refusing to sign on to this deal. Water Minister Tony Burke claims the plan is still legally binding. But the truth is it’s not worth 2 bob unless the States agree to implement its changes to irrigation and water regulatory systems. The cut-off date for wrapping up this deal is 30 June. But this whole thing could unravel before then. And not a bad thing either.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 02:50:39 +0000