Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) | Hansard source

( I seek leave to make a short statement.

The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute.

Labor will not be supporting this motion. The real solution here is for the Morrison government to come up with a proper drought package for all drought affected communities rather than to have more committees. All Australians would be concerned by the reports of towns facing the possibility of running out of water, and the potential for suffering and distress as a consequence. After six years of inaction on water security, the government must act now to help those communities running out of water. The problem here is that, despite being in office for six years, the government has failed to act beyond establishing a range of committees and positions. We've had a drought envoy, a drought coordinator, a drought task force and a drought summit, and now we're told the Morrison government will establish a Water Grid Authority. Rural Australia does not need committees or task forces; it needs help to endure one of the most serious challenges to the viability of some of our great inland towns and regional centres. The Prime Minister is out of touch. He needs to get to work on a practical plan to cope with the drought crisis.