Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek says we don’t need Vics to save Murray

Environment minister Tanya Plibersek says we don’t need Vics to save Murray

Funding of $20 million will be shared by South Australian river communities to lessen the social and economic impacts of water buybacks, while Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek says Victoria’s rejection of a revised Murray-Darling plan will not stop it achieving its new targets.

Ms Plibersek was in Adelaide on Wednesday to sell the new plan, which will push back the time frame to return 450GL in water to the Murray by more than three years to December 31, 2027.

“We are absolutely determined as a Commonwealth Government to fully deliver the Murray Darling Basin Plan, including that 450 gigalitres of additional environment water,’’ she said.

The most contentious part of the plan will be to increase the level of voluntary water buybacks, a move opposed by both the NSW and Victorian government, as well as some irrigators.

Ms Plibersek declined to nominate how much water would be delivered through buybacks but said there would be no compulsory acquisition.

“There seems to be a bit of a misconception that I need the permission or support of the Victorian Government and the New South Wales government to do voluntary water purchase. We don’t need that,’’ Ms Plibersek said.

However, Ms Plibersek has promised extra money for SA river communities who may be hurt by water buybacks.

In a letter to SA deputy premier Susan Close,Ms Plibersek says there will be “around $20 million funding for South Australian communities depending on the extent of water purchase required’’.

“The funding would be for South Australia to deliver and administer a community adjustment assistance program,’’ the letter says.

Riverland MP Tim Whetstone said he was worried vulnerable grape growers in the region would be targeted. “Irrigators up here are already on their knees and potentially forced into water sales,’’ he said.

SA Liberal leader David Speirs is also opposed to buybacks and said the plan was now in “humiliating ruins” with the withdrawal of Victoria.

“Susan Close should hang her head in shame,” Mr Speirs said.

“She has sold out our environment and betrayed South Australia’s irrigation communities by allowing this to happen.”

Victorian water minister Harriet Shing said that “Victoria has delivered more water than any other state towards the up to 450 GL of additional water’’.

Ms Plibersek blamed the previous Coalition government for “sabotaging’’ the Basin plan and claimed it had only contributed 2GL to the 450GL target in a decade.

She said it was imperative the plan was fully delivered because “the next drought is just around the corner’’.

“We can’t stand by and allow our threatened species, our rivers, our wetlands, and the 3 million people who rely on this river system for their drinking water to be unprepared for the next dry period,’’ the Minister said.

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Ms Plibersek also said all water infrastructure projects would be completed by December 31, 2026.

The federal government will soon introduce amendments to the Water Act 2007 and Basin Plan 2012 to reflect the changes to the plan.

Last month, Murray Darling Basin Authority chair Angus Houston said “there is no possibility that under current settings full implementation of the Basin Plan can be achieved by 30 June, 2024’’.

The Murray Darling Basin Plan was designed to return 3200GL to the river. Ms Plibersek said last month it was likely the plan would fall 750GL short. Of the extra 450GL, negotiated for the southern basin, only 26GL has been returned.

State environment minister Susan Close welcomed the deal and called it a “big win’’ for SA.

“This is our last chance to save the river and the Malinauskas Government will

continue to defend the environment and ecological systems through legal action if

this final agreement is not delivered in good faith,’’ she said.

River Murray Commissioner Richard Beasley said “there is a real and credible path now to the full recovery of that water for the environment’’.

Conservation SA campaign co-ordinator Char Nitschke also said while the Commonwealth deserved credit “this isn’t a new deal – it’s delivering the existing Basin Plan with an extended time frame’’.

The legislative amendments are likely to need the support of the Greens to pass the Senate, but Water spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the party wanted guarantees the water would actually be delivered.

“If Minister Plibersek wants this to pass the Senate we need environmental flows guaranteed and water flowing to SA before the next election,’’ she said.

Opposition leader David Speirs