The New South Wales floodwaters saga highlights the need for genuine national management of the Murray Darling Basin and should be a learning experience, Coalition Murray Darling spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. Senator Birmingham welcomed an in-principle agreement from the New South Wales Government to release ‘reasonable’ flows downstream but said the situation…
DetailsThe Rudd Government should clarify the status of its expensive Whaling Envoy and whether he’s in for the long haul, Senator Simon Birmingham said today. It follows revelations, through Senate Budget Estimates, that the Envoy’s never-ending ’round the world mission’ of diplomatic dialogue has already cost taxpayers more than half a million dollars…
DetailsActing Prime Minister Gillard and Premiers Rann and Keneally must give Murray Darling Basin officials in-principle approval to release emergency floodwater for downstream communities today, according to Coalition Murray Darling spokesman Simon Birmingham. The Basin Officials Committee will meet tomorrow to discuss the floodwaters about to flow into the Menindee Lakes. This committee,…
DetailsPrime Minister Kevin Rudd should convene an urgent meeting of Murray-Darling Basin State Premiers to negotiate truly national management of the system, Coalition Murray Darling spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. The Rudd Government’s failure to achieve national management of Basin waters has been highlighted by New South Wales having total say on how…
DetailsThe Rudd Government’s failure to achieve national management of the Murray Darling Basin has reduced South Australian Premier Mike Rann’s influence to that of letter writing, Coalition Murray Darling Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. South Australian Water Security Minister Karlene Maywald this morning said Premier Rann is writing to the Prime Minister…
DetailsHundreds of billions of litres of water flowing from the Darling River into Menindee Lakes in New South Wales will be wasted thanks to delays in progressing long overdue federal infrastructure works, Coalition Murray Darling Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. Labor’s 2007 election policy promised that a Rudd Government would “accelerate investment…
DetailsHeavy rains and flooding in the northern catchments of the Murray Darling Basin will fail to deliver hoped for flows into the River Murray thanks to the Rudd Government’s failure to deliver on key infrastructure promises, Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham said today Labor’s 2007 election policy promised that a Rudd Government would “accelerate…
DetailsState and Federal Labor Government Water Ministers must explain an apparent state of confusion over the future of the Coorong and Lower Lakes, Coalition Murray Darling spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. It follows a whole new round of consultation that commenced this week, more than three months after consultation closed on the previous release…
DetailsToday’s release of a draft Lower Lakes and Coorong Recovery plan is welcome as it places focus back on the crisis in the Murray Darling Basin, Coalition spokesman Senator Simon Birmingham said today. “The South Australian Government’s draft Lower Lakes and Coorong Recovery Plan highlights the continued crisis in the Murray Darling Basin,…
DetailsThe Rudd Government must guarantee that all holders of water licences in the areas concerned will be able to take part in tenders announced today, Coalition spokesman on the Murray Darling Basin Simon Birmingham said today. The Government today announced three tenders totalling $270 million will be conducted in the southern connected River…
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