Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The member for New England’s question goes to the locality and the town. I have outlined the course of action that we will undertake. In response to the question, I did go through the other reforms that we have brought into the system. They are in three categories. The first is, through the basin authority, the capping of water and the scientific basis for it. Secondly, I mentioned what we are doing in terms of investment in irrigation infrastructure. Thirdly, I spoke about what we are doing in the buying back of water entitlements. This is a fundamental challenge for the nation to restore health to the Murray-Darling system. It is being severely challenged by drought, which is in turn exacerbated by the long-term impacts of climate change. Therefore, we must act to deal with the consequences of climate change in a practical way now, while dealing with the long-term causes, which is why some in this House are united in their resolve to act on climate change in an effective national and global manner.

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