Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The drought has been extreme and distressing for thousands of farmers and communities in Queensland, particularly in the central west. But with every Queensland drought comes calls for the Bradfield Scheme to be built—an uneconomic and totally discredited white elephant of a project which is indicative of the problems with irrigated agriculture in northern Australia. Even leaving aside the environmental consequences of these schemes, which are massive, they aren't able to deliver reliable water flows and the costs are astronomical. We suggested instead that Senator Anning should back the development of a proper drought policy and, most importantly, start taking seriously the biggest threat to our agricultural community, which of course is climate change.