Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, Senator Ruston. Just hours after rolling the Deputy Prime Minister, the Nationals in the Senate split with the Morrison government, voting to walk away from the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. When did the minister first become aware the junior coalition partner no longer supports the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in full and on time?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Senator Smith, for your question. The government policy remains that we absolutely support making sure that we have a sustainable Murray-Darling Basin system into the future for all Australians who rely on it. That means for the communities along the river, the farmers who grow the produce and the fibre as a result of the use of that water, whether it be Australians who rely on it as a source of drinking water—as is the case in South Australia, where I live and where Senator Smith lives as well—it is absolutely essential we have a sustainable river system going into the future. That is why 12 years ago we came together in this place in a bipartisan agreement to make sure that we delivered for a sustainable system. That was absolutely a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put together a plan.

This is probably one of the most ambitious water, environmental and agricultural combined plans that has ever been agreed to in this place. Fourteen chambers of government around Australia agreed to the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, and I pay tribute to everybody in this place, whether they're here today, whether were here when the plan was first put in place or whether they've left this place now, and other parliaments in Australia, for having the foresight to realise the importance of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. As we go forward, we know that we will have challenges. We continue to work together collectively to deliver the plan on behalf of all Australians.

The Murray-Darling Basin Plan—none of us should shy away—has very significant complexities but that doesn't mean to say we shouldn't all be working towards making sure we continue to deliver the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. We will continue to put new initiatives in place, apply innovative solutions about how we can get more water to our environmental sites, but at the same time— (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Smith, a supplementary question?

Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When Mr Joyce was last Deputy Prime Minister, he declared the water promised under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan didn't have a hope in Hades of being delivered. Is abandoning the Murray-Darling Basin Plan the position of the Morrison-Joyce government?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The position of the Morrison government is absolute commitment to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. Just because we put on the record there are difficulties and complexities in delivering such a complicated and complex plan as the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, it does not mean in any way that this government has moved away from its commitment to the delivery of the plan for all Australians, as I said, not just Australians who live in the cities but Australians who live along the Murray-Darling Basin—the communities that rely on the water, the farmers who rely on the water for their livelihoods and the full infrastructure of rural and regional Australia in the Murray-Darling Basin catchment area—to make sure that they continue into the future to get access to water to support their communities. So the position and the commitment of this government have not changed. We are absolutely 100 per cent committed to the delivery of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan for the benefit of our farmers and the communities that live along the river as well as those in the cities.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Smith, a final supplementary question?

Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Joyce has never supported the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. He famously told South Australians to 'move to where the water is'. Will the minister recommit to implementing the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in full and on time?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't need to recommit to anything, because we have never moved away from our commitment. There are many people who have made many comments in relation to the difficulties in being able to deliver this really ambitious plan but that doesn't change the commitment of this government to remain absolutely focused on the delivery of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. We will continue to work with jurisdictions. As I said, this is a plan for all Australians and all states that sit within the basin. This is not just the federal government. It's the Queensland government, the ACT government, the New South Wales government, the Victorian government and the South Australian government. We will continue to work together to deliver the plan, because every single state and territory knows that the outcome of not delivering the plan is absolutely a negative outcome for the states and territories. We remain committed to that, and any suggestion whatsoever that we have moved away from our commitment to the delivery of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is factually incorrect.