Cathy McGowan (Indi, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to bring to the attention of this chamber a serious problem we are experiencing in north-east Victoria and southern New South Wales, and it is to do with the floods below the Hume weir. Our problem is linked to communication with the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. I bring before the House an editorial from The Border Mail from 8 September, over a month ago, where The Border Mail states:

… there has been a lack of clear communication about the rate of outflows from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, the body responsible for deciding the rate of outflows from Lake Hume.

The Canberra-based institution declines to predict its day-to-day release levels from Lake Hume, saying they can vary and the forecasts may not match reality.

This is a month ago.

The MDBA has on its website a live river data section, but it is retrospective and has been criticised by the Murray River Community Action Group's president Richard Sargood, who represents the low-lying property owners. The MDBA Twitter account has not tweeted about release levels from Lake Hume. This is a month ago. We knew we had a problem; the MDBA knew they had a problem and over the last month they have seriously failed to address the communication issues of people in north-east Victoria and southern New South Wales. Who is responsible? The minister for water is responsible. So I absolutely call on the minister for water to come to north-east Victoria, face the people of my electorate and explain what is going on. (Time expired)

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