House debates

Wednesday, 23 November 2016

Questions without Notice

Murray-Darling Basin Plan

2:46 pm

Photo of Steve GeorganasSteve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The member for Mallee said the Deputy Prime Minister was right to abandon the bipartisan commitment for an additional 450 gigalitres in the Murray-Darling Basin Plan saying, 'South Australia will get more water than it can actually handle.' Is it the position of the government that the Basin Plan delivers more water than South Australia can actually handle?

2:47 pm

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member. I have the Basin Plan here which I will refer to in a moment. The Australian government is committed to delivering the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in full and on time. Our policy has not changed. The Basin Plan is based on an approach to water management that delivers a healthy basin and supports productive industries, confident communities and a resilient environment.

There are challenges in delivering anything as complex as the Basin Plan. What we need to remember is that, in delivering additional water for the environment, the sustainability of communities in economic and social terms must be preserved. I will refer the honourable member to section 7.17 of the Basin Plan. What it makes very clear is that it must be neutral or improved socioeconomic outcomes associated with the conversion of water from consumptive to environmental uses. That is what is in the plan; that is what the plan says.

Nobody is saying it is easy. I think it was Mark Twain that said, 'Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over'—I remember it very well; I was the water minister. I understand because the Murray-Darling Basin Plan was put in place when I was the water minister under John Howard.

Ms Rishworth interjecting

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Kingston.

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

It is always contentious, but the reality is that what we have to do is to find the solutions and the mechanisms that enable us to return water to the environment in a way that does not disadvantage basin communities in social or economic forms. There will always be arguments about water. There will always be disputes about water, but where there is goodwill and a dynamic, constructive approach then we will be able—

Ms Rishworth interjecting

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Kingston will cease interjecting.

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

to deliver the plan in full as we are committed to. What I would invite the honourable member to do is to work with us and to encourage his colleagues in the South Australian government to work with us. Some of the language that was used by the South Australian water minister, I have to say, was not constructive and not calculated to assist in resolution.

The bottom line is this: we are committed to the plan, but the plan has provisions. The provision I just read out to the honourable member is very clear. The honourable member for Watson opposite knows this very well—he was the water minister; he knows it very well. For example, in 2012 he set up a review of the northern basin plan to look at precisely this point, so we know it is challenging but we are up to it, and we are going to deliver it.