Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek last week announced the Commonwealth would help fund the Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Project (VMFRP).
The project will provide about 70 giglitres to the basin plan’s water recovery targets by removing blockages that stop water flowing into creeks and implement options to manage water effectively and efficiently on the floodplain.
It is being reported in some circles as a back-down on Victoria’s strong stand against water buybacks, which forced Ms Plibersek to plough ahead with her Restoring Our Rivers Bill without the state’s support.
Senator Davey said the new announcement certainly raises some concerns.
“Yet again, big announcements by the Albanese Government raise more questions than answers, this time in a new deal between Victoria and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek to deliver the Murray-Darling Basin Plan,” Senator Davey said.
She said it was time the Labor Government delivered on its promise for an open and transparent government and told people not just how they will deliver the plan, but also how much it will cost.
“Here we have the minister selectively briefing journalists that she has ‘hundreds of millions’ more funding for buybacks and infrastructure, but she won’t quantify that figure,” Senator Davey said.
“She has outlined minister-to-minister correspondence to claim she now has a commitment from Victoria to progress water recovery, meanwhile the Victorian Government is still vehemently opposed to water buybacks.
“So, what is the deal the minister has reached with Victoria?
“Will she return to funding infrastructure projects designed to reduce the water recovery target? Or is she going to ride roughshod over communities and open buyback tenders.
“It is beyond time we had a Ministerial Council Meeting to outline exactly where the states stand and what can and can't be delivered.
“In the meantime, Minister Plibersek needs to get out of Sydney and into the Basin communities to explain how the amendments to the Water Act will be implemented.”
Victorian Water Minister Harriet Shing has denied there has been any change in her government’s position on water buybacks.
