Damian Drum (Murray, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

It's very clear in water policy within the Murray-Darling Basin that it's the Labor Party that have absolutely no credibility in this issue. When we are trying to find a balance between environmental outcomes and productive agriculture, it's the Labor Party that have no understanding of the balance. It's the Labor Party that have been unable to identify what are the environmental outcomes that they want to achieve? It's the Labor Party and their leadership that have said: we need an amount of water; we do not care where the water comes from; we just need an amount of water.

Some of the environmental outcomes that are listed in the plan are things those opposite like. They want to keep the Murray mouth open, which is something that is totally unnatural—naturally closed up and opened up and closed up and opened up with the rainfall.

Mr Burke interjecting—

You come into my patch. Those opposite also want to keep Alexandrina and Albert fresh and other places. They are totally unnatural objectives that are in their environmental outcomes. Come into my patch and explain to the irrigators that have lost thousands of gigalitres. You are not welcome back, by the way, Mr Burke. The member for Watson is not welcome back.

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