Patrick Secker (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Prime Minister. With water and the Murray River being the most important topics in my electorate, would the Prime Minister update the House on the government’s plan to fix the Murray-Darling Basin?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Barker. Last Friday was a great day for the Murray-Darling Basin. I am glad to report to the House that New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory have agreed to the Commonwealth’s plan. Victoria indicated on Friday through its Premier that it was unable to do so, although discussions between Victoria and the Commonwealth go on. It is my hope and, I believe, reasonable expectation that Victoria will see the wisdom of joining the other states in a clear referral of power to the Commonwealth so that the plan can go ahead as originally announced.

This is a historic investment in the irrigation infrastructure of our nation. It involves $10 billion of new Commonwealth money. It involves about $6 billion of that being spent on irrigation infrastructure and about $3 billion being spent on buying back water entitlements, excess water entitlements and overallocations, all of which have occurred on the watch of the states. This is a case of the Commonwealth not only accepting responsibility for something that occurred under the eye of the states but also paying the cost of fixing the problem.

I say to the people of Victoria: it is in your interests that your state government join the rest of the states because Victorian irrigators stand to benefit to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars at the very least from this plan. Victoria has a lot riding on this plan and, if Victoria stays outside the arrangement, Victoria will suffer. I hope that all members of this parliament, on both sides, who represent Victorian electorates will go back to those electorates and encourage their constituents to encourage the Victorian government to join the other states. This is not a time for Victoria to inflict itself with pain and punishment. Let’s not have a self-inflicted wound from Victoria. Let Victoria join the other states and let us go forward with a plan that will rescue the great River Murray, the great River Darling and the whole basin, which is so important to the future of this nation. The plan will deliver long sought after national water security.