The failure to include water issues and management of the Murray-Darling Basin on the agenda for tomorrow’s COAG meeting will cost taxpayers millions in legal fees, according to Liberal Senator for South Australia Simon Birmingham.
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meets in Hobart tomorrow.
“With South Australia threatening to take Victoria to the High Court over water management it beggars belief the issue has been left off of the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting between the Prime Minister and all Premiers,” Senator Birmingham said today.
“The failure to address this issue cooperatively at forums like COAG will leave South Australian and Victorian taxpayers faced with legal fees likely to run into millions of dollars.
“This is an unnecessary waste of both time and money. Our leaders should instead be able to resolve these issues like grown-ups.
“Before the last election Mr Rudd was keen on saying that the buck would stop with him.
“Rather than washing his hands of this interstate dispute he should stay true to his word, step in and force a resolution.
“COAG provides the perfect forum for Mr Rudd to save taxpayers millions of dollars. He should immediately list these water issues on the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting.”