Labor must speak with one tongue on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, Coalition Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. 

“The more Labor talks about Murray-Darling Basin reform the more they contradict each other,” Senator Birmingham said. 

“According to Julia Gillard they will do whatever it takes to implement the MDBA’s plan. 

“According to Tony Burke this is an independent authority and the Government won’t interfere in its deliberations. 

“According to Simon Crean it is up to the Government to produce the plan. 

“Now that they’ve buck passed it to a parliamentary inquiry they need to ‘fess up’ that Julia Gillard is backflipping on her election promise.

“It’s time for the truth from Labor. It’s time they stopped speaking with forked tongues on Murray-Darling Basin reform. 

“This government has botched the water reform process, just like everything else they touch and are now contradicting themselves left, right and centre as they panic in response to understandable outrage from Basin communities.” 

 
 
“I am determined we will do what is necessary to implement the Murray-Darling Basin Authority plan.” Julia Gillard Press Conference 10 August 2010
 
“I am not going to interfere with the consultative process that an independent body is engaging in”                   Tony Burke, The Australian, 14 October 2010
 
“In the end, the Government has to make the decision. It was never going to be a decision just for the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. It hasn’t put out a plan. It’s put out a guide. The Government has to put out a plan and it will do that.
                                                Simon Crean, AM, 15 October 2010