The Rudd Government is refusing to answer key Estimates questions relating to water policy, Coalition Murray Darling spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. “The Government’s failure to answer key questions makes a mockery of the Senate Estimates process, usually one of the more effective means of accountability,” Senator Birmingham said. The October round…
Water Minister Penny Wong should make clear how she would vote in a Murray Darling Basin referendum, Coalition Murray Darling spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. A Coalition Government will call a referendum to refer powers necessary for effective, independent management of the Basin’s water resources, should the States remain unwilling to do so…
Good morning Tony, good morning Keith, listeners. Look, Minister Wong is being particularly misleading when it comes to Tony Abbott’s plan for a referendum, quite misleading. Nobody wants to wait until 2013, nobody hopes that we have to leave it ’til then to resolve once and for all management issues in the Basin but…
The Lower Murray is being denied further additional flows out of New South Wales thanks to ongoing delays in promised infrastructure works, Coalition Murray Darling Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. “The relief that additional flows announced over the last 24 hours will bring to the Lower Lakes and other parts is welcome,…
Water Minister Penny Wong has today refused to indicate satisfaction with her Government’s current flawed deal governing management of the Murray Darling Basin. The refusal came in an interview on Adelaide radio, following Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s policy announcement last night to deliver true national management of the Basin. Senator Birmingham: “…is…
Kevin Rudd’s so-called historic agreement on national management of the Murray Darling Basin has left the States with too much control, Coalition Murray Darling spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. “An analysis of the agreement reveals just how much power remains vested in the individual Basin States, and highlights the need for true national…
Melissa Parke, Member for Fremantle, and Chair of the Parliamentary Association for UNICEF, and Senator Simon Birmingham, the Association’s Deputy Chair have called on concerned Australians to donate to UNICEF’s emergency appeal in order to provide life-saving essentials for those affected by the Haitian earthquake. Donations can be made by visiting www.unicef.org.au or by…
Coalition policy announced last night by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott will deliver true national management of the Murray Darling Basin. “The founding fathers’ failure to provide for national governance of the Murray Darling Basin has resulted in more than a century of unsustainable pressure being placed on the system,” Coalition Murray Darling spokesman…
(Leigh Hatcher: Joining us now from Adelaide is the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Murray Darling Basin, Simon Birmingham. Simon Birmingham, thanks for your time this morning. Hasn’t this idea been trialled in the past and failed?) Well no, not at all, Leigh. What Tony [Abbott] has outlined is a clear plan of action to tackle some…
The Rudd Government should clarify the status of its expensive Whaling Envoy and whether he’s in for the long haul, Senator Simon Birmingham said today. It follows revelations, through Senate Budget Estimates, that the Envoy’s never-ending ’round the world mission’ of diplomatic dialogue has already cost taxpayers more than half a million dollars…