Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy President. My remarks are related to that issue in relation to the ‘if onlys’ of the former government. If only they had given more thought to dealing with the crisis in the Murray-Darling Basin instead of making that ham-fisted attempt to grab control last year.

The Liberals have shown no leadership on climate change and are not seeking a long-term response to this issue. They look only for short-term political advantages. For 12 years in government, they opposed an emissions trading scheme. On the eve of the last election, they supported an emissions trading scheme. The environment is not on their agenda. Their questions to the minister are questions thought up just for political advantage on the day. They opposed emissions trading. They supported it again. In many areas it has been a case of a new day, a new policy—and on some days, on some matters, no policies at all.

Over the past five or six years we have experienced inflows into the Murray that are worse than the CSIRO’s worst-case scenario for 2050. Just as they did for 12 years in government, the opposition would rather play irresponsible short-term political games than prepare Australia for the tough challenges of the future. We need to act now. Minister Wong provided those answers today. The minister has been working very hard in addressing the issues that were neglected for so long by those opposite when in government—the issue of water, the issue of the Murray-Darling Basin, the issue of the environment. I see the senators across there shaking their heads. They are shaking their heads.