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MDBA Plan an Act of Sabotage
08-October-2010
Federal Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley, has described the water cutbacks proposed the Murray Darling Basin Association (MDBA) as “an act of sabotage on the communities in her electorate”.
The Basin Plan Guide, released at 4pm today, proposes new sustainable diversion limits which, if implemented, would see up to 4000GL of water removed from productive use with cuts of 27 to 37 percent.
Ms Ley says the effect in the NSW Murray, Murrumbidgee and Lower Darling would be nothing short of disastrous; “cuts of this size would threaten not only the smaller towns throughout Farrer but major regional centres, like Albury, Corowa, Deniliquin, Mildura and Broken Hill”.
“It would effect far more than just agriculture”, she added; it would impact on local industry such as paper mills, dairy factories, piggeries and feedlots. It’s also conceivable Stage 4 Water Restrictions could become a permanent imposition on every rural household”.
Repeating calls she made on national television this morning, Ms Ley challenged Water Minister, Tony Burke, to not “just wave these plans through leaving it all to the MDBA;
but to step up, take control, show leadership and, most importantly, reassure rural
Australia the Government understands the part they play in Australia’s prosperity.
“Rural Australia is on red alert” Ms Ley said “and it is absolutely imperative the Minister
fully evaluates all social and economic aspects before any final decision is made".
“The Minister needs to demonstrate a level of concern and support for Basin communities and Regional Australia in general, just as Prime Minister Gillard promised with the start of this parliament.”
“At the moment my constituents do not have any confidence in this Government when it comes to water policy. If this plan goes ahead we will see ghost towns along the Murray and no true Australian want’s this to occur.”