Responding to the announcement that the Murray Darling Basin Plan will not be delivered on time, Greens spokesperson for Water and the Environment, South Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“We need a plan for action, not a plan for delay to save the Murray Darling.
“The failure to deliver the Murray Darling Basin Plan on time is a broken promise to every South Australian and risks breaking our river Murray.
“Years of rorts, water theft and delays under the Liberal-Nationals had left our precious river in a precarious position. The Albanese Government had promised to deliver the Murray Darling Basin plan on time and in full.
“For years upstream states and big cotton have dragged the chain on ensuring South Australia gets the water it needs and has been promised.
“Our Murray needs an urgent recommitment to action not a go-slow on saving the River.
“Delaying further action on the plan for three more years is simply not an option if we want to preserve our river and the ecosystems that depend on it.
“We are in a climate crisis and facing what experts predict will be another summer of extreme heat. We cannot afford to delay the actions we know are urgently needed to protect our river.
“The Albanese Government needs to stand up to the big irrigators and the upstream states and deliver on the water that was promised for South Australia and for the environment.
“With Labor Governments in every Basin state, it’s time for real action to protect our river and to finally deliver the Murray Darling Basin Plan in full, including the 450gL for South Australia.
“The Greens are willing to work with the Government on reforms that are needed to ensure that more water is delivered but we cannot support continuing to kick the can down the road. We need a plan to deliver the water before the next election.”
