Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The government retains full confidence in the organisation. We have appointed a very capable chair after the departure of Mr Taylor and I am very confident, given the past record of Mr Knowles—not someone whom I have a great knowledge of—that the authority is in good hands and that there are none of the issues alleged in the newspaper today or alleged by you repeating them here in the chamber today, Senator Joyce. We know what your view on the Murray-Darling is. We know that it is not the same as the rest of your colleagues. We know that you have just deferred, have not taken a hard decision, your claimed spending cuts—a deferral of water buybacks. We know that those opposite are crying crocodile tears because you are absolutely not interested in finding a long-term solution. Those opposite are not interested in finding a long-term sustainable outcome.

As usual, you start off by saying, ‘Yes, we support this.’ In fact, you created it. But as soon as it comes to some of the tough issues, Senator Joyce, you have gone missing. Through you, Mr President, those opposite have gone missing. They talk the talk when in government, they talk the talk at first when they are in opposition; but they have run for cover when it comes to dealing with the substance of the debate in the Murray-Darling. It is very disappointing to yet again see Senator Joyce take the cheap, low political road and not want to engage in the substance of the debate. (Time expired)