FRAN KELLY: And after more than a century of squabbling between the states, an historic deal has finally been reached to secure one of our most precious environmental assets, the Murray-Darling river. The national Plan will return up to 3,200 gigalitres tothe river system each year from 2019. TONY BURKE: Today’s the day…
SENATOR BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (16:53): This matter of public importance has been nominated by the Australian Greens. When we look at matters of public importance sometimes we need to look at their tone at the very outset, before we get into the detail. Today we are discussing the Gillard government’s plans, at the upcoming COAG…
Senator BIRMINGHAM (South Australia) (10:12): Hell has truly frozen over in this place this morning, because we just received a lecture on economic and fiscal responsibility from the Australian Greens! The Australian Greens-the big taxing, big spending party of this parliament, who put even the Labor Party to shame with their spending habits-have just…
MICHAEL SMYTH: Now to the latest on the Murray and the news today that the Coalition has decided to back the Federal Government’s plan to better manage the river system, ensuring an extra 2750 gigalitres will be flowing downstream by 2019; more beyond that. Senator Simon Birmingham is the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the…
SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Later today, Tony Burke will address the National Press Club and, as I understand it, will outline what the final Murray-Darling Basin Plan looks like. The fact that we’re reaching a point of finality is welcome because this is a long overdue reform. It’s more than five years since the Howard Government…
LAURA JAYES: After more than a hundred years and decades of state bickering, a Plan for the Murray-Darling Basin has finally been signed into law. This is the fifth version handed down by the MurrayDarling Basin Authority and, before that [National Press Club] speech from the Environment Minister, Tony Burke, he and the Prime…
SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Well, today we have what hopefully will be an historic step in the management of the Murray-Darling Basin. I want to acknowledge that Tony Burke was generous in recognising the role that John Howard, Malcolm Turnbull and John Anderson played in the Coalition Government in getting this process underway; that in 2004…
LYNDAL CURTIS: The Federal Government has released draft legislation [Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012 Exposure Draft] to consolidate Australia’s discrimination laws. The changes are designed to provide more protection and a simpler regime, although the Opposition worries about shifting the burden of proof onto the respondent and some elements of the consolidation. Both…
ELEANOR HALL: A compromise between Australia’s major parties has seen the Senate pass a key piece of legislation* on the management of the Murray-Darling Basin but the compromise doesn’t extend to the states and now the New South Wales Government says it is considering its own legislation to limit water buybacks. In Adelaide, Rebecca…
SENATOR BIRMINGHAM (South Australia) (02:41): I rise to speak in this adjournment debate about a very dear colleague of ours, Senator Mary Jo Fisher. This is the last sitting day that Mary Jo will be a member of this place. That is very sad for all of us and, of course, very sad for Mary…