Vickie Chapman and River Murray Royal Commission boss Bret Walker clash over bid to compel Commonwealth witnesses
THE State Government says its River Murray Royal Commission will give up the fight to compel Commonwealth witnesses — but the Commission says Attorney-General Vickie Chapman has her facts wrong.
- 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’
- Murray authority interfering with science, whistleblower says
- River faces toxic algal blooms and acid drainage
SOUTH Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission is to drop demands for Commonwealth witnesses to appear, the State Government says.
Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said Commissioner Bret Walker will withdraw a number of summonses for federal government and basin authority witnesses to give evidence.
Mr Walker’s actions have been the subject of a High Court challenge by the Commonwealth but Ms Chapman says she now expects that to be discontinued.
However, Mr Walker refuted the Attorney-General’s comments and described her statement as being “in every particular, wrong”.
The commission said a more detailed response would be issued shortly.
The apparent impasse between the commissioner and the Government comes after Premier Steven Marshall this week said the investigation continued to have the Government’s support despite being “extraordinarily expensive”.
The Advertiser this week revealed Mr Walker was being paid $10,000 a day and had already earned about $500,000.
“What we’ve got to make sure is that we get value for money, we get outcomes from this Royal Commission which are commensurate with the very, very high costs,” he told reporters.
Mr Marshall said there were multiple investigations under way into water use, and it was important that the Royal Commission does not double up on other inquiries.
“We’ve got to look at that space which is not being investigated, make sure that we are shining a light on the alleged water theft as it relates to areas which are not already being investigated,” he said.
Ms Chapman said a decision not to demand the appearance of Commonwealth officials would leave some important constitutional questions unresolved.
“But I believe the priority here is for the commission to get on with its work and report back to the people of South Australia,” she said.
Ms Chapman said Mr Walker had explained there would be insufficient time to enforce the summonses if the High Court challenge, slated for October, was successful.
However, she said he had advised he would still be able to complete his report, which is due to be handed to the State Government in February next year.
Mr Walker is examining a wide range of issues associated with the Murray-Darling Basin and the plan to ensure the future viability of the system.
He is particularly concerned with questions of water theft and rorting by upstream users.