It is calling for action following the increased public exposure of poor past government decisions.
‘‘The Basin Plan is a farce and the failure of federal Water Minister David Littleproud to acknowledge this indisputable fact is a blight on our nation that is impacting prosperity,” said Speak Up chair Shelley Scoullar.
She said it was an untenable situation for Mr Littleproud to continue denying the hurt and suffering in regional Australia, which is being exacerbated by his ongoing calls to deliver the Basin Plan ‘‘in full and on time’’.
‘‘Numerous media outlets are becoming more aware of the problems rural communities are facing due to this failing plan.
‘‘In the New South Wales Murray region the problem is not the drought, despite what Mr Littleproud wants to keep telling people. It is poor water policy and a government that is accepting massive water wastage, rather than taking necessary steps to fix it.
‘‘It is a Federal Government that does not have the courage to demand change, including a farcical situation where the desalination plant in Adelaide, built with federal taxpayer funds, is barely providing a drop of water because the SA Government wants to take cheaper water from Hume Dam.
‘‘This comes at huge expense to farming communities in upstream states.’’
Mrs Scoullar said issues around water trading, corporate greed, excessive floodplain harvesting and failure to effectively monitor water use, including environmental water, continue to be highlighted.
But she said all we get from the Federal Government is more reports and more inquiries, but no action.
‘‘If they want to know how to fix this mess, they should look no further than the Senate Inquiry into the Basin Plan which presented more than 30 common-sense recommendations.
‘‘The Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie was on that committee, so she should know what needs to be done to fix the plan.
‘‘But unfortunately we have a government in denial, and I fear that will continue until there is enough media and public pressure to force a change of thinking.’’
Mrs Scoullar said in many respects the Basin Plan is like the Australian banking industry.
‘‘The government had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to a Royal Commission into the financial sector, and I’m sure that is because it knew what would be uncovered.
‘‘Now it is resisting a Royal Commission into the Basin Plan, and I believe this is occurring because the Government is well aware that past decisions and their consequences will shock the nation.
‘‘However, unless we have a total change of heart by the Water Minister and his Cabinet colleagues — including Environment Minister Sussan Ley — we cannot see any other long-term solution than a Royal Commission.’’
