Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to oppose the amendment, and I do so on the basis of the clear need for the government’s package to be passed by this chamber. As I indicated earlier today, we are facing one of the greatest global crises, brought about by the collapse of the financial system around the world. And yet here we are, being asked to take our eye off the ball in relation to the broad macroeconomic issues that need to be dealt with in one area only—need in this community. No-one is arguing the need to deal with the issues in the Murray-Darling Basin. No-one is arguing the importance of the environmental issues associated with the Murray-Darling. But we have had 11½ years of the opposition, when in government, doing nothing in the Murray-Darling Basin. We have had 11½ years of neglect in the Murray-Darling Basin. And it is absolutely unacceptable and absolutely wrong to try to force us as a government to deal with that issue on its own, in isolation from the broader national good. We have a national approach with a package to save jobs and to stop the recession in Australia, and on that basis I oppose this amendment.