Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

As discussed, the review and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority have come to the conclusion that, as a result of those devastating impacts, there does need to be a reconsideration of the amount of water recovered in the northern basin. They have recommended that the water recovery target be reduced from 390 gigalitres to 320 gigalitres. According to the chief executive of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, Mr Phillip Glyde, this would ensure a sensible balance between social, economic and environmental interests. He says that reducing the water recovery target will save about 200 jobs in irrigation dependent communities while continuing to deliver about the same level of environmental outcomes. That is exactly what we need: a more sensible approach to this big issue for our country and an approach which protects those regional communities, the jobs they rely on and the good hardworking Australians that deserve to have their interests balanced through this review.