Changes to the Commonwealth Water Act and Basin Plan have been introduced into Federal Parliament.
If MPs agree to them unchanged, she’ll be able to buy as much water as she wants, and she’ll be able to start as soon as early next year.
Thoughtlessly, 15 months ago, Plibersek chose to resurrect the 450GL – not caring that it threw our industry under the bus, and ignoring the undeniable science that it offers no extra environmental benefit.
In resurrecting the 450GL, the messaging of the Albanese Government has been monotonous.
We want water! We have to have water! The only thing we want is water!
Hidden away in Canberra, Plibersek refused to engage with any of us unless we were prepared to talk to her on her terms.
We approached her unreasonable request as our industry always does – we went away and did the work.
We found her water. We found it in a way that had no impact on our general security allocation pool.
We found it in a way that meant that any form of buyback was completely unnecessary.
In late 2022 we gave her our advice. She ignored it.
In February 2023, she asked for our advice again.
Patiently and respectfully we supplied it to her.
Guess what? She ignored us once more.
This insulting behaviour happened a third time in July of this year. To say we’re fed up would be an understatement.
What she’s put on the table today (Wednesday) is nothing more than a slap in the face to our industry.
Fortunately for us though, it’s a fixable mess.
The government just has to be willing to do the work – something they’ve been too lazy to make any effort around for the past 15 months.
We’re not giving up, and we’re continuing to fight for the future of our industry.
We will pick Plibersek’s proposal to pieces.
We will sort through her mess, and advocate for what’s good, and advocate even harder to change what’s bad and unacceptable.
This government has made promises to our industry for 15 months. They better deliver.
~ Peter Herrmann is Ricegrowers Association of Australia president.
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