Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australia's funding and policy commitments to irrigation research and development are at a 20-year low. This disturbing news was relayed to me today by Dr Guy Roth of Narrabri, who is program coordinator of the National Program for Sustainable Irrigation. He is worried about the government's position on irrigation. His fears are, unfortunately, well founded. Irrigation in the Murray-Darling Basin has an economic multiplier of 3.5, meaning that for every $1,000 of farm-gate revenue generated there is an additional 3½ thousand dollars of dependent economic activity.

Dr Roth is in Parliament House today with farmers Rob Houghton of Leeton and Andrew Parkes of Moree visiting MPs to present a case for increased irrigation research and development funding. They come in a week during which the government is proposing to rush through amendments to the Water Act. The suggested amendments seek to grant the Murray-Darling Basin Authority far more powers. The government wants to implement a new section 23A, enabling the MDBA to propose adjustments to sustainable diversion limits. Further, the changes would give the MDBA absolute power over the minister, who would have no capacity to reject the amendment or direct that it be altered, and the parliament would also be precluded.

The bill specifically requires any adjustment to consider an environmentally sustainable level of take that does not require specific thought to be given to social and economic impacts. Therein lies the heart of the matter. Many regional communities will be affected—and no areas will be affected worse than the Riverina and Farrer—if a water plan without a triple bottom line approach is put in place. They are at the mercy of this government and the water plan it will bring before this parliament. (Time expired)