Centre Alliance to try to break impasse over Murray Darling Royal Commission

CENTRE Alliance is threatening to try to block legislation if the Federal Government does not step in on the Murray-Darling Royal Commission.

• Attorney-General, Commission chief clash over witnesses
• Sydney lawyer paid $10,000 a day to lead Murray Royal Commission
• Royal Commissioner accuses Minister of ‘deplorable’ behaviour
• Crucial information arrives after senators already voted
• Murray-Darling Basin Authority has a ‘dishonest culture’

CENTRE Alliance is threatening to try to block legislation if the Federal Government does not step in on the Murray-Darling Royal Commission.

The State Government said last week that the commission would not get a deadline extension or any more money.

Commissioner Bret Walker had said that without an extension, he will have to report using only the evidence he already has, because a High Court injunction stops federal employees from appearing.

Even if the court decides the commission can force federal employees to give evidence, that will not leave enough time to get them in before his February deadline, Mr Walker says.

Now Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick says his party is prepared to try three avenues to break the impasse.

It will work with other crossbenchers to try to block government legislation if the Federal Government does not either let employees appear, or convince the State Government to grant an extension.

Mr Patrick also says that in the Senate, he will seek an order for production of the documents the Royal Commission has been seeking, which could force the Government to hand them over.

“There can be no secrets here,” he said.

Lower House member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie said the commission had heard serious claims that the amount needed to save the Murray — 2750 gigalitres — was “made up”.

“The commission needs to investigate whether officials have broken the law in the design of the $13 billion plan,” she said.

The commission was set up under the former Labor Government to investigate whether the Murray-Darling Basin Plan was working as it was intended to save the river.