The Gillard Government has today confirmed the enormous extent of its underspending from the $5.9 billion program designed to deliver water saving infrastructure, Coalition Murray-Darling Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. In response to questions from Senator Birmingham in Question Time today, Senator Stephen Conroy revealed the Government’s total spending to date is…
DetailsDAVID MARR: The High Court this morning said however you arrive in Australia, if you seek refugee protection in this country, the assessment of your claim will be done according to law and according to the principles of natural justice. That’s what they said this morning and as of 10 o’clock when business resumed, I…
DetailsWater Minister Tony Burke took 22 days following his swearing-in to meet with the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s chairman, ultimately doing so just two days before the release of its Basin Plan Guide, it has been revealed in Parliament. The revelation came in responses, tabled yesterday afternoon, to questions asked by Coalition Basin spokesman…
DetailsSIMON BIRMINGHAM: This is a classic re-announcement timed to coincide with the Victorian state election. This $1 billion was first announced in July 2008 by Kevin Rudd, and here we have Julia Gillard and John Brumby fronting up and re-announcing it now, just weeks away from the Victorian state poll. That makes me pretty…
DetailsSIMON BIRMINGHAM: Thanks, Tony. Tony Abbott has done today what Tony Burke has failed to do and that is turn up, turn up to these Basin communities and actually listen to people’s grievances, turn up and see just how wrong Labor is getting this process. Three years ago the Labor Party was left…
DetailsFurther delays in finalising a Murray-Darling Basin Plan are a direct result of Labor’s mismanagement and will only prolong uncertainty for Basin communities, Coalition Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. It follows reported indications from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s chief executive that the already delayed process could be pushed out to 2012. …
DetailsSIMON BIRMINGHAM: Four years ago today John Howard convened an urgent meeting of Premiers and Chief Ministers to talk about Murray-Darling Basin reform. In that time, we’ve seen legislation passed, $10 billion put on the table. But that all happened within the first 12 months. Since then, we’ve seen the process slowly but surely fall apart. Delay…
DetailsSENATOR BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (5:05 PM) -I am pleased to join Senator Joyce in taking note of the ministerial statement on the Murray-Darling Basin. I welcome the ministerial statement and the release of the legal advice that was tabled by Minister Burke yesterday, but the core question that needs to be answered is: why did…
DetailsSENATOR BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (6:32 PM) -I also rise to contribute to this very important discussion on Afghanistan. This is a very sombre and serious debate because it goes to perhaps the most important of all topics that we in this parliament could ever discuss-people’s lives. First and foremost, the decisions made within this parliament…
DetailsSENATOR BIRMINGHAM: (South Australia) (4:38 PM) -It is a pleasure to speak on this matter of public importance, and indeed this is an incredibly important matter for Australia because there is $43 billion of money on the line here and potentially a world of debt, pain and repayments at the end of this. It is…
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