Joining Federal Member for Nicholls Damian Drum on the bank of the Goulburn River at Kialla on Tuesday was Federal Member for Mallee Anne Webster, Senate Nationals Leader Bridget McKenzie and Victorian Shadow Water Minister Steph Ryan, who all voiced concerns about the need for the authority to be split into three separate entities amid ongoing concern the organisation continues to "mark its own homework".
Mr Drum said the authority's conflicting roles were highlighted in the Productivity Commission report, released early last year, that found major shortcomings in the current institutional and governance arrangements.
“To not address these shortcomings poses a significant risk to the next phase of implementation of the (Murray-Darling) Basin Plan,” he said.
“While the Productivity Commission report recommended dividing the MDBA into two institutions, the Victorian Nationals — both federal and state members — are calling for the MDBA to be divided into three entities.
“This would instil confidence in the authority's ability to implement the basin plan with the necessary scrutiny and accountability required.”
The three entities which the Victorian Nationals want separated is the authority's compliance, implementation and river operations roles.
In addition to splitting up the authority, the four politicians also said the extra 450 Gl for the environment could not be delivered without significant impacts on farmers, basin communities and the environment — a position backed by the Victorian Farmers Federation.
Ms Ryan said the basin plan was always supposed to be adaptive.
“Basin ministers should remove the uncertainty hanging over everyone’s heads by admitting the 450 Gl of water cannot be recovered,” she said.
“We simply will not agree to irrigators being stripped of more water.”