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

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water, Senator Wong. Can the minister advise the Senate whether the Rudd government supports a reduction in how much water can be taken out of the rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin and is the minister aware of alternative views?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Wortley for her question and her interest in water issues. Yesterday in Canberra we saw the South Australian Liberals, led by Ms Redmond, talking tough about the Murray—just like senators opposite, including Senator Birmingham and the rest of the South Australian Liberals, like to do. But of course what they do not seem to understand is that the federal opposition policy is in fact to wind back reform in the Murray-Darling Basin. That is your policy: wind it back. Last week, Mr Macfarlane, the shadow water minister, agreed with the National Farmers Federation, which claimed that basin reform was happening too fast and that too much priority—listen to this, Senator Birmingham: too much priority—was being given to improving river health. I look forward to Senator Birmingham fronting up on Adelaide radio and saying, ‘Yes, our position is too much priority is being given to improving river health.’

This makes clear what Mr Abbott’s call for a referendum really is. If the opposition’s referendum proposal were successful, it would mean slower reform and more water being taken out of our rivers than under the government’s plan. In fact, all Mr Abbott’s referendum would do is to give control of the Murray-Darling Basin to—guess who? The National Party and the Country Liberals. Talk about the foxes in charge of the henhouse! It is unbelievable that the coalition still has not learnt the lessons of the last 100 years of the mismanagement of the Murray-Darling Basin. We need to take less water out of the rivers, not more.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Wong, resume your seat. When there is silence we will proceed. Senator Wong, continue.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. Down in South Australia, the South Australian Liberal Party talk tough about takeovers but the reality is nothing more than a plan for the foxes to take over the henhouse. Under Mr Abbott’s plan it is quite clear— (Time expired)

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

I thank the minister for her response. Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister inform the Senate of recent developments that may throw doubt on the future of the Murray-Darling Basin?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The reports today confirm what I have just told the Senate. The National Party have made it clear they will not support a referendum that puts South Australia in a stronger position on the Murray. They have made that absolutely clear. The Leader of the Nationals, Mr Truss, has written to the New South Wales Irrigators’ Council saying that the referendum is not National Party policy.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Macdonald, it does not help question time when people debate the issue across the chamber at this hour. The time to debate it is at the end of question time; everyone knows that. Senator Wong, continue.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Nationals has written to the New South Wales Irrigators’ Council saying that Mr Abbott’s referendum is not National Party policy. His colleague Kay Hull told the party room this week—

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Macdonald, constant interjection is completely disorderly; you know that. Senator Wong, continue.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Hull told the party room this week that there is no way the National Party will let the South Australian Liberals decide what happens in the Murray-Darling Basin. Those opposite may not like it, but the fact is they cannot deliver on the referendum they are promising. The only referendum they can deliver on is one that gets National Party sign-off. Go down to South Australia and sell that, Senator Birmingham. (Time expired)

Bill Heffernan (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order: I would like to clarify that the Minister for Water Security in the Labor government in South Australia is a Nat.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! That is not a point of order. Resume your seat. When there is silence, we will proceed. The time for debating these issues is at the end of question time. I keep reminding senators of that.

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

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Minister, what is the best way to ensure the long-term health of the Murray-Darling Basin?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The best way to ensure the long-term health is to implement the plan the government is implementing. It is to take action now. The government has taken over basin-wide planning. That plan will reduce the amount of water that can be taken from the rivers. In contrast, what we now know is the opposition will continue to give priority to irrigators upstream rather than focus on the overall health of the basin.

The reality is the South Australian Liberals talk tough in South Australia. What they should be telling the South Australian people is the truth: the federal opposition’s policy is to wind back reform in the Murray-Darling Basin. They should fess up to the fact that the Country Liberal members and the National Party will have to sign off on any referendum that Mr Abbott puts forward. They have made it clear that they will only sign off on it if it does not do the right thing by South Australia.