The Coalition’s Murray-Darling Basin spokesman, Simon Birmingham, is urging South Australians to make their voices heard on the draft Basin Plan.
A public meeting in Renmark this afternoon is the last such meeting scheduled in South Australia by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority before formal consultation ends next month on the proposed Basin Plan released in November last year.
The only other such meeting here in South Australia was held in Murray Bridge in December.
“Especially for those who can be in Renmark this afternoon, I encourage South Australians to make their voices heard,” Senator Birmingham said today.
“Whether you’re an irrigator or part of broader communities relying on a healthy river system or just passionate about seeing our nation’s largest river system managed in a sustainable way, you deserve to be heard and for your questions to be answered.
“There remain many questions still to be answered regarding the draft Plan and its impact on South Australia, such as
- How much water will be recovered from South Australian irrigators under the Basin Plan?
- What proportion of environmental flows, or amount of flows, on average will make it to South Australia, to the Lower Lakes and to the Murray Mouth?
- How will water recovered for the environment be used in South Australia and, indeed, elsewhere?
- Has the Authority taken into account the efficiencies of South Australian irrigators who have lived and worked under a cap for 40 years? If so, what impact has this had on the Plan?
“I hope the Authority can today address these and other questions from concerned South Australians able to attend this afternoon’s meeting.”
Today’s public meeting is scheduled for 1pm to 4pm in the Greek Orthodox Community Hall, Twentyfirst Street, Renmark.