Water from the New South Wales and Queensland floods will be wasted as result of Kevin Rudd’s failure to deliver promised infrastructure works to the Menindee Lakes, Coalition Murray Darling Basin spokesman Senator Simon Birmingham said today.?
“Estimates in Labor’s own 2007 election policy document indicate that 200 billion litres could be saved every year from reduced evaporation and increased efficiencies through the $400 million reengineering of the Menindee Lakes storage,” Senator Birmingham said.
“This project was at the very top of a list of Murray-Darling projects in Labor’s 2007 election policy *, but the sad fact is that not one sod of soil has been turned to fix the incredibly inefficient Menindee Lakes.
“The Menindee Lakes and Murray Darling system have been plagued by Rudd Government inaction while billions of dollars have instead been wasted on dodgy pink batts and overpriced school halls.
“All South Australians appreciate that wasting water is one of the greatest sins we can commit. Kevin Rudd’s failure to deliver on his promise means that 200 billion litres a year is being wasted, roughly the same amount used by the entire area of Adelaide.”