The Hon. Nicola Centofanti, Shadow Minister for Water Resources and the River Murray (SA), Media Release, 6 July 2023

Just months out from the River Murray Basin Plan 2024 deadline, the Federal Labor Government has just woken up to the real prospect that, despite their election commitment, the Basin Plan might not be delivered in full and on time.

It has been revealed that the Federal Water Minister, Tanya Plibersek, has written to the Murray-Darling Authority asking “whether the plan has any prospects” of being delivered by the mid-2024 deadline, paving the way to a possible extension to the Basin Plan timeline.

The revelations follow more than a year of Opposition calls – aimed at the Federal and State governments – to reinstate water efficiency projects intentionally halted by Labor.

Shadow Minister for Water Resources and the River Murray, Nicola Centofanti MLC, said: “Despite the rhetoric from both Federal and State Labor before the election about delivering the Basin Plan, the handbrakes have been on since the day they took government.”

“Labor has wasted precious time blaming others for inaction while failing to deliver on their promises,” Dr Centofanti said.

“No new water efficiency projects have been approved by Labor, in stark contrast to the former Liberal Government which contracted 23 gigalitres during the last 12 months of its term and had a list of other possible projects in the pipeline.

“Basin communities have been left in limbo since the Federal and State Labor governments took office. It’s encouraging to see Tanya Plibersek has moved on from her ‘denial’ stage, but we must see the same from state Water Minister Susan Close.”

Susan Close has repeatedly blamed a lack of progress in water efficiency projects on “complex socio-economic criteria” but has failed to acknowledge that two large projects, in Victoria and NSW, were approved under the same criteria during the last 12 months of the previous Liberal Government.

“This demonstrates it’s not the criteria, but a lack of leadership from Susan Close that is the problem,” Dr Centofanti said.

“Over the past 12 months we should have continued to witness water efficiency projects being approved and we should have seen shovels in the ground.

“Instead, Labor have put all their eggs in the ‘water buyback’ basket and have done nothing in the way of efficiencies or maintaining productivity. Once again, we call on the Federal and State Labor governments to get these projects back on track.”

Susan Close has faced criticism for not considering the potential impacts on the water market from mass buybacks within a short timeframe, which both Federal and State Labor governments have advocated for but provided little detail on.

She has also been criticised for appointing a Sydney-based South Australian River Murray Commissioner. Interestingly, this Commissioner recently participated in a series of Murray-Darling Basin panel sessions all held outside of the Basin.

“The last time I checked, there were no River Murray irrigators in the cities of Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide,” Dr Centofanti said.

“The future security and cost of water is one of the most significant issues facing primary producers, including horticultural operators, throughout our river communities.

“We need strong leadership now more than ever.”