MPs increase attack on alleged NSW Murray Darling river water theft
ALLEGATIONS NSW laws were changed to help irrigators take more water out of the Murray-Darling basin are an “appalling and blatant rort” if they are found to be true, State Water Minister Ian Hunter says.
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ALLEGATIONS NSW laws were changed to help irrigators take more water out of the Murray-Darling basin are an “appalling and blatant rort” if they are found to be true, State Water Minister Ian Hunter says.
After explosive revelations NSW irrigators were allegedly draining excessive — in some cases allegedly illegally — The Advertiser revealed behind-the-scenes dealings.
Mr Hunter said the reports Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair wanted the legal changes showed the extent of NSW’s disregard for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
“If these allegations are true, this is an appalling and blatant rort of a vital national water agreement, and requires further investigation,” he said.
“There is now even more justification for an independent judicial inquiry into the claims that billions of litres of water were stolen from the river while some in the NSW Government allowed it to happen.”
The Federal Government has ordered a review of compliance with the plan but a range of Senators condemned it as inadequate — demanding a full independent review.
Senator Nick Xenophon said only a judicial review would be good enough.
On Wednesday, he hit out at NSW’s “secret deals”, saying the reports reinforced the need for a full inquiry.
Labor Senator Penny Wong will move a motion in the Senate calling for a judicial inquiry into “corruption and mismanagement”.
She expects support from the Greens and NXT as well as Australian Conservatives leader Cory Bernardi.
“It’s a motion that calls for a judicial inquiry into the dreadful allegations of theft, water theft — water that taxpayers have paid for being stolen by irrigators — corruption and mismanagement in the Murray-Darling Basin,” she told the ABC.
Mr Blair said he was just trying to fix an error in the law “under advice from the government”.
A spokeswoman said the law change created a process where unauthorised works could be properly and transparently assessed.
NSW Labor leader Luke Foley moved unsuccessfully in the parliament for the NSW Premier to set up a special commission of inquiry into the Murray-Darling “water theft” allegations.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said an internal review was adequate and would provide her a preliminary report by the end of the month.