Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I can confirm, again, that the government has accepted the Murray-Darling Basin Authority's recommendation to return 2,750 gigalitres of surface water to the environment. This sets up a mechanism which allows governments to improve environmental, social or economic outcomes on the proviso that improving one outcome does not sacrifice the other. As I have already said, the government is committed to providing an additional $1.7 billion to relax key operating constraints and allow an additional 450 gigalitres of environmental water to achieve greater environmental outcomes.

I think the points I have made are very clear, very clear indeed, and I am not sure I can offer a lot more on that particular issue than confirming exactly what I have said. I will get some information for you and hopefully have it by the time you ask your next question on the groundwater issue.