A Liberal senator has accused all parties – including his own – of “playing politics” with water policy and making promises to rural communities that were the equivalent to offering “free beer” because the science says they can never be delivered.
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“Any call for changes to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is incredibly shortsighted and demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the importance of environmental outcomes for the basin, ” Mr Hunter said.
Calls have also been made for the CEWH to be given more flexibility in trading excess water, including stopping water buybacks from its trading revenue and to instead invest in environmental works and measures.
Seven of the eight crossbenchers are demanding the federal government “pause” the Murray-Darling basin plan because, they say, it favours the needs of the environment over those of farmers, irrigators and rural communities.
The State Government warns that changing the Murray-Darling Basin Plan risks the river’s health.
Mr Joyce said he would be working closely with Senator Ruston “on a whole range of issues”.
As dryer weather conditions are forecast, the agency says it has no immediate plans to sell allocations because of the potentially high demands for environmental water across the basin.
Joyce told reporters on Thursday he had full responsibility for water, to “clear up any confusion”.
FEDERAL Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Barnaby Joyce has moved to resolve “media conjecture” over portfolio allocations and departmental responsibilities, in the new Turnbull Ministry.
It’s expected Senator Ruston will hold responsibility for horticulture and wine and fisheries and forestry when the Ministerial Charter Letters are finalised by Mr Turnbull.
Mr Joyce’s former Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture in the Abbott regime, Tasmanian Senator Richard Colbeck, played down the issue of the new portfolio allocations.
“As we all understand, a cabinet minister ultimately has responsibility for all elements of the portfolio, and in that context ultimately Minister Joyce is responsible for the elements of the water portfolio that are within his portfolio”.
Mr Turnbull has yet to make a formal statement about the final allocation of water policy responsibilities under the new ministerial arrangements.
“Whether Minister Joyce and Senator Ruston have agreed to a few arrangements about the overall management of water within the portfolio is a matter for them and the Prime Minister”.
“He didn’t once, except in answer to a question, mention Minister Briggs – who I understand does have part six of the Water Act 2007; which of course is the part of the Act which amongst other things controls and stipulates the law around the Commonwealth Water Holder”, he said.
“The review of the Basin Plan remains under the auspices of the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources and in fact we’re doing that right now – it is on my desk as we go through the review recommendations”.
Senator Colbeck added to the commentary saying, “On the record of water: Senator Wong should not raise the record of purchases of water or anything to do with water in this place, because her record is absolutely abysmal”.
She said water policy had traditionally belonged to the Agriculture Ministry and was also managed that way by State governments, which “makes sense”.
She said the Basin Plan was important as is securing Adelaide’s water supply and it had to be recognised that there are “environmental limits” on the water that can be taken out of the river system.
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The Prime Minister on Wednesday confirmed Mr Joyce would have ministerial responsibility for water.
