Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Minister Wong, the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Water. Senator Wong, at the election, your government made a clear promise to deliver the Murray-Darling Basin Plan on time and in full, including the 450 gigalitres to South Australia and the environment. We know that only 2.7 per cent of that 450 gigalitres has been delivered to date. Now we hear the water minister is saying that on-time delivery is not possible and she will be seeking a delay of the deadline of the plan. Why did the Labor Party and your Prime Minister make a promise to South Australia they could not keep?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you for the question. As you would know, Senator Hanson-Young, this party, in government and in opposition, has been campaigning for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, has purchased water for the environment and has sought to progress this. The reality is that we had 10 years of not only inaction but deliberate sabotage, particularly by the National Party, of this plan. The senator rightly asks: why has the government had to take the position it's had to take?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Davey, if you wish to speak on this issue, you can find time at other places in the sitting calendar.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Plibersek has been upfront about this. Of course we are deeply committed to implementing the plan, as we always have been. As you know, the majority of water that has already been delivered under the plan was obtained under past Labor governments.

An opposition senator interjecting

I'll take the interjection. I know that those opposite seem to believe that you can continue to do business as usual in an era where we see not only the degradation of the river but climate change—

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not what the science says!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Go and have a look at what the Murray-Darling Basin commission says. What Minister Plibersek has made clear is that, when she sought advice from the Murray-Darling Basin commission, the advice she received from that independent body was that, because of what happened under the previous government, it is not possible for us to deliver the plan in the time frame that we had hoped. As a South Australian, I can say to you that I am deeply disappointed by that. And I am deeply disappointed by the politics of those opposite— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young, first supplementary?

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

South Australians, frankly, are sick and tired of politicians passing the buck on the Murray River. They want to see the water, and they want to see it delivered. It's been promised. It should be delivered. The environment needs it. Will you buy the water that South Australia has been promised?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has said that she's gone through a process consulting with communities about alternatives to water purchasing. She has said that she wants to look at all options, but it will be hard to meet targets without some purchasing. I'm advised that the minister is in the process of buying 49 gigalitres to close off another part of the plan. That process will take about nine months.

Perin Davey (NSW, National Party, Shadow Minister for Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Nine months?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Nine months. You had nine years and you delivered—was it 2.7 per cent? Was that the figure? I can't recall if Senator Hanson-Young's figures are right, but you delivered a fraction of what you promised in nearly a decade, because Senator McKenzie and the Nationals have always wanted to sabotage this plan. And you know how we know that? Because you came into the Senate and tried to do exactly that, and the then government had the Libs and the Nationals voting a different way.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my left! Order! Order!

Senator Ayres! This is a question that Senator Hanson-Young is asking. I would ask both sides of the chamber to respect that the question be asked in silence and that the minister, when she responds, be heard in silence. As I just reminded Senator Davey, if you wish to make a contribution on this matter, find another time in a sitting calendar, not question time.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We've heard the minister's request for delay. My question to Senator Wong is: how many more years do South Australians have to wait before we get the water we need, the water we were promised and the water the environment deserves?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young, you and I have both campaigned on this issue for many years. It is not fair to use the formulation you just did about the minister requesting delay. The minister has been provided with a report by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority that shows there is no pathway to deliver on time because of Senator McKenzie and her colleagues in the National Party, who refused to allow voluntary buybacks and never delivered the water that they said they would. That's the reality.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, please resume your seat. Senator Davey and Senator McKenzie, I have asked for order at least three times, and I've named you twice, Senator Davey. It's not a request; it's an order. Listen in silence.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was pushing back on Senator Hanson-Young's use of the word—I can't recall the phrase she used. But my point is: the independent advice that we have received is that there is no pathway to deliver on time. As someone who has worked on this and purchased a lot of water, all of which was opposed by those opposite—and we'll do it again—

There you go, Senator McKenzie—I wish we had not had almost 10 years of a government who didn't want to do anything on the Murray-Darling. (Time expired)