Tanya Plibersek dodges basic Murray-Darling Basin Plan queries

Tanya Plibersek has refused to answer questions about Victoria’s rejection of Labor’s reformed Murray-Darling Basin Plan in a press conference alongside Premier Daniel Andrews.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek. Picture: Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman​

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek refused to answer ­questions about Victoria’s rejection of Labor’s reformed Murray-­Darling Basin Plan in a press conference alongside Premier Daniel Andrews.

Ms Plibersek on Thursday repeatedly told journalists she wasn’t “here to talk about water policy” in an attempt to redirect the focus of the media event on to the government’s recycling announcement.

This is despite Anthony Albanese going to the election campaign vowing to lead a govern­ment that would “change politics” and answer questions.

The question-dodging came after Victoria refused to sign up to Labor’s scheme, with the state vehemently opposed to the federal plan to use buybacks as a method of water recovery to deliver on its election promise to recover 450 gigalitres for the environment.

Both Ms Plibersek and Mr Andrews attempted to brush off seven questions on the revamped Murray-Darling Basin Plan by stating that the commonwealth and Victoria would continue to “work through the details”.

“I’m not here to talk about the Murray-Darling Basin Plan,” Ms Plibersek said. “We’re still talking – that’s a good thing. I’ve got a great relationship with Premier Andrews, I’ve been a long admirer of his leadership and we’ll just keep talking and working through the details thanks.”

Mr Andrews said it “was not a day to be talking about water policy – today’s a day to be talking about recycling and avoiding hundreds of thousands of tonnes finishing in dangerous landfill”.

He also revealed he had spoken to the Prime Minister to make clear Victoria’s opposition to water buybacks and that the state had delivered more water than any other basin government in the plan.

Nationals deputy leader Perin Davey called Ms Plibersek’s refusal to engage with the questions “a disgrace” considering the changes to the Basin plan was of considerable public interest.

“It is a disgrace that two days after such a vital announcement for regional Victoria and the Basin, Minister Plibersek is in Victoria and refusing to talk about it,” she said. “This is an incredibly topical and important issue and the failure to answer simple questions speaks volumes about the secrecy and lack of transparency which has become the hallmark of Labor governments around the country.”

A spokeswoman for Ms Plibersek disputed accusations that she had not been transparent.

“In the last 48 hours, (she) has held two 30-minute press conferences and done four interviews. Perin Davey has done one Sky News interview,” she said.

Greens environment spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young questioned whether Ms Plibersek had spoken with Mr Andrews “at all” as she called on Victoria to “stop holding up the delivery of environmental water promised to South Australia”.

“Holding the 450GL hostage is costing the health of the entire river system because rivers die from the mouth up,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

Ms Plibersek’s attempt to restart buybacks has been met with fury from farmers who accused the Albanese government of a “rushed and clumsy attempt to override states’ genuine concerns” about water buybacks.