Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McEwen for her question and for her ongoing support for the efforts of this government to restore the River Murray to health. This government is getting on with the job of restoring the River Murray to health. This government is getting on with the job of preparing Australia for a future where there is less water. We are purchasing water—we purchased some 320,000 Olympic swimming pools of water for the Murray-Darling Basin. We are investing in infrastructure in irrigation so we can continue to grow food with less water. And soon the independent Murray-Darling Basin Authority will release its draft Basin Plan.

There was a time when this policy had the support of all parties in this chamber. The Water Act was in fact passed with the support of the Liberal opposition and the National Party. So there was once a time when the parties in this chamber did agree we should restore the River Murray to health. So it was with some surprise on Saturday morning that I woke up to headlines in the Adelaide Advertiser in which Senator Joyce’s message to Murray irrigators was: ‘Move north. Move north to the water.’ Instead of fixing up the Murray, Senator Joyce is saying to South Australians, ‘Pack your bags!’ That is his policy on water, because he would rather tell people to move than actually do what is required to restore the River Murray to health. It is no wonder, Senator Joyce, you never get a question on water. They are embarrassed by you. Frankly, I almost felt sorry for Senator Birmingham and for the members for Sturt and Mayo.