Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

As I said, the funding which we have indicated of $3.6 million is conditional on a groundwater management planning process being put in place to manage the aquifer on a long-term sustainable basis. Obviously, the detail of that will need to be worked through by the Victorian government, the irrigators and relevant stakeholders. So those are issues which still need to be worked through. Obviously, this has been an issue, as you know, Senator Fielding, that has been dragging on for some time. We have indicated to the Victorian government that this is a matter we want to progress in relation to the groundwater management planning process and we are prepared to make a contribution of $3.6 million towards the assistance package.