Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister stand by her pre-election commitment to adopt the Murray-Darling Basin plan, sight unseen, in its entirety and without regard to costs or impact? Why did the Prime Minister say during the election campaign:

I am determined we will do what is necessary to implement the Murray-Darling Authority Plan—

without considering its impact on regional communities and consumers?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question, though it has caused me to laugh, because the Leader of the Opposition knows, in constructing that question, that what he is saying is absolutely wrong. Let me quote some words to the Leader of the Opposition which I think are very relevant on this point, about the role of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. It was obviously implemented by a bill in the parliament. The words I seek to quote are:

This is an enormous step forward from the current governance model, which has remained largely unchanged since 1915 and requires the agreement of all basin jurisdictions before anything can be done. Through this bill, for the first time in the basin’s history, one basin-wide institution accountable to the government will be responsible for planning the basin’s water resources. It will be expert and it will be independent.

They were wise words, and people may be amazed to hear that they came from the member for Wentworth. I am certainly not going to make a habit of it, but on this occasion I would adopt the words of the member for Wentworth. Everything has a first, and possibly a last moment—and that is my last moment adopting his words.

What was set up under the Howard government, when the Leader of the Opposition was sitting at the cabinet table, presumably reading his cabinet papers and absorbing what was in them, was a process where the Murray-Darling Basin Authority—

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order with respect to relevance. The Prime Minister was asked about her commitment on 10 August, not about ancient history to do with the member for Wentworth.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would ask you to bring her back to the question about her commitment of 10 August.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Sturt will resume his place.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Those on my right!

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He’s the one you lost, Malcolm!

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Leader of the House! The Prime Minister knows that, under the new standing orders, she needs to make her response directly relevant. It may be a long build-up—I hope—but she will make sure that she is directly relevant to the question.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I understand that. I am a little bit concerned that the member for Wentworth is now showing the Leader of the Opposition the true meaning of the word ‘ancient’ and denying that that fits the bill.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Prime Minister will get back to the question.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of describing the legislation, and what the Murray-Darling Basin Authority does, is to indicate how the authority is working and where the plan comes in. What has been published is a guide. It is subject to consultation. Then the Murray-Darling Basin Authority will publish a draft plan. It will be the subject of consultation. Then, of course, the minister will sign off a plan and bring it to this parliament. I am determined that, as we work through those stages, as we get to a final plan, the plan is implemented—because that will get the balance right between the environmental needs of the river, the needs of farmers and food producers and the needs of regional communities.

I would counsel the Leader of the Opposition in the following terms. I understand this is difficult reform. I understand that it has inflamed community passion. But it is not in anybody’s interests—not in the interests of any Australian, any farmer, any regional community—for the Leader of the Opposition to use his status to wreck this process. This is a process—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Prime Minister is digressing.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is a process that was started by the Howard government. It is a process that needs to be worked through with complete and full community consultation. That is occurring now through the consultations of the authority and will occur through the parliamentary committee led by the member for New England, and I thank him for doing that work.