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

The Australian government has not sought to inappropriately direct the authority or interfere in the authority’s matters. The government is getting on with the business of reform while the opposition simply opposes and stalls. The role and independence of the authority in developing the Basin Plan is clearly set out in the Water Act, championed by those opposite and Mr Turnbull in 2007—legislation that was passed twice with bipartisan support. The government strongly supports the independence of the authority. Accusations that the minister directed the Murray-Darling Basin Authority or interfered in any way are completely without foundation. Senator Birmingham well knows this, because Senator Birmingham has indicated that he intends to raise questions about whether the minister is compromising the independence of the authority, but the minister has indicated and made it very clear in all conversations that he is not giving directions and that he respects the authority’s independence. So Senator Birmingham’s attempt to trail his coat through this slime and mud that he is involved in throwing is utterly without foundation.