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

I am very pleased to get the opportunity to stand up and point out some of the extraordinary hypocrisy that has spewed forth from the other side of the chamber in this debate. I want to go through this very carefully because, frankly, there are a lot of inconsistent views and inconsistent positions being put by the opposition on this.

The first point I would make is a very important point—the opposition know this but, in their haste to try to play a bit of politics with this, they are avoiding it—and that is that the federal government is not putting any money into this project. The project which is being funded is the second stage of the food bowl project. The second point I would make really shows that the Liberal opposition are driven by politics and not by policy on this issue. I do note that, even though they profess to have such a position predicated on looking after communities in the basin, I do not think we have had a Victorian senator from the Liberal Party speak. Perhaps they can explain what their views are about water supply for Melbourne and that they are very happy to not take water from this pipeline.

But let me just make a few points. Hypocrisy No. 1: the Liberal Party in Victoria have said they will use this pipeline and the water it transports. So let us understand this. In this debate in the federal Senate, you are trying to play politics with this because you think there is something in it for you—notwithstanding the fact that you know that, if this amendment gets up and is retained, this would undermine the IGA. You know that. You are prepared to play politics with the Murray-Darling, just as you did for over a decade. But your colleagues in Victoria will use this pipeline and the water. If you were really serious about this issue, you would ensure that the Victorian Liberal Party refused to support this project, but you cannot deliver that and you know that. So that is hypocrisy No. 1.

Hypocrisy No. 2 goes right to the heart of Mr Turnbull’s bill. When was the food bowl project first announced by Premier Bracks? It was 19 June 2007. Who was in federal government then? Someone remind me. Was it Kevin Rudd? I do not think so. Who was the minister?