Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities) Share this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Hindmarsh for his question. He has shown a long-term interest, as have the many South Australian members on this side of the House, in wanting to see a good outcome in a national approach to the Murray-Darling Basin.

One hundred and twenty-two days ago, the consultation on the draft plan began. There are only 26 days left in that consultation process. There have been meetings held, which a number of members from each side of this House have attended. Some members from my own side have made submissions. I know the member for Kingston has made a submission, calling for a tougher plan and wanting a better outcome for South Australia. I know some members opposite have stood up and asked for the numbers to go down in respect of their communities.

The difference between the submissions from each side of the House during this consultation process is that on this side of the House, when we are participating in that process, we participate with the certainty of knowing we will be on the side of backing the reform when it lands. We know that we will be on the side of having a national approach to the Murray-Darling Basin, whereas the most notable submission from those opposite was the one made by the Leader of the Opposition at the Griffith meeting, when he said that he would only support a 'good plan' without defining what a good plan would or would not involve.

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