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

I thank Senator Wortley for the question and for her ongoing interest in the Murray-Darling Basin and the way in which we have to deal with this crisis. I did release yesterday the final report for the Murray-Darling Basin sustainable yields project. Through you, Mr President, I should say that this is a groundbreaking study and an invaluable resource in helping to restore the basin to health. It was first commissioned in 2006 when Mr Turnbull was parliamentary secretary. I invite Mr Turnbull to read this report. In fact, we on this side would suggest that he make it compulsory reading for those on that side who need a stark reminder about why we need to act on climate change, why we need to act to protect the future of the Murray-Darling Basin. We would suggest that he prescribe it as compulsory homework for Senator Boswell, who does not believe that we ought to take action on climate change and who opposes action on climate change, including to the extent of pressuring Australian business to oppose action on climate change.

Key findings of that report include that the total flow at the Murray mouth has been reduced by 61 per cent and the river now ceases to flow through the mouth 40 per cent of the time, compared with one per cent pre water resource development. On the worst-case climate change scenario, you are looking at reductions of around 70 per cent in the Murray, 80 to 90 per cent in the Victorian regions, and the median decline—that is, the midpoint—is still projected to be 11 per cent by 2030. That is nine per cent in the north and 13 per cent in the south. What this shows very clearly is that in terms of climate change, on the basis of the advice given to us by the scientists in the report that Mr Turnbull himself commissioned, we face a future with less rain and less water in the system. What this means is that we have to get on with the long-term job, as this government is doing, as those opposite failed to do, of modernising infrastructure— (Time expired)