Watered down plan won’t deliver for South Australi

The South Australian Minister for Water Karlene Maywald ducked and weaved this morning on ABC radio, asked when one new bucket of water will be delivered down the Murray for South Australians as a result of the COAG water deal announced yesterday, Christopher Pyne, the Federal Member for Sturt said today.

""Mr Rudd and Mr Rann need to immediately announce on what date will South Australians begin to see increased water flows in the Murray and what amount of water will be delivered this year?” Mr Pyne said.

“Fourteen months ago the Howard Government proposed a plan that the allocation of water and management of the Murray will be taken over by the Federal Government,” he said.

“A recalcitrant Victorian Labor Government, whose current leader Premier John Brumby described South Australia as a backwater, refused to sign up.

“Yesterday, Mr Rudd made every concession to make the evening news, and in doing so condemned a thirsty South Australia to suffer for years to come.

“There will be no changes to the current cap on water allocations until 2011.

Then any state can object to the new cap for allocations, further delaying the process. There is no agreed upon time frame for arbitration of the cap.

“South Australia doesn’t have three years to wait on this issue. We need action now. If the Victorian Government had signed up fourteen months ago when this deal was proposed, results might be flowing down the Murray. Victoria has been rewarded for arrogantly holding out against the national interest.

“Caving to demands of one state for a media grab isn’t in the national interest. This is the worst precedent for a new federal government to have set itself,” he said.

27th March 2008

Media Contact:Adam Howard  0400 414 833