The Labor Government is a one trick pony on Murray-Darling Basin reform, Coalition Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. It follows today’s announcement of another round of water buybacks, for the southern part of the Basin and the Lower Balonne region of Queensland. “When in trouble Labor have returned to the only…
DetailsThe 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…
DetailsAnother Labor election campaign platform is unravelling at a cost of millions of litres in lost water savings, Coalition Murray-Darling Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. Prime Minister Julia Gillard was keen in August to make election mileage out of an agreement with New South Wales on operation of the Menindee Lakes storage…
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…
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. …
DetailsState and Federal Labor Government delays in progressing water saving infrastructure projects across the Murray-Darling Basin have today been confirmed in an independent progress report, Coalition Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Reform Council progress report has found significant delays in delivering 17 ‘priority projects’ under the…
DetailsA $4.6 million Gillard Government advertising campaign only highlights its failures on water reform, Coalition Murray-Darling Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. Television advertising* has begun screening this week, following last week’s newspaper ads throughout the Basin supposedly promoting the Government’s claimed water initiatives and encouraging people to take part in the current…
DetailsWhat the Government now says it said during the election campaign: “What the Prime Minister said was that we would as a government implement the Murray-Darling Basin Authority plan. That document is the final document that comes out at the end of next year after there has been an opportunity for ministerial intervention,…
DetailsA last-minute handover of a key economic report will only create further doubt in the minds of stakeholders about the thoroughness of the Murray-Darling Basin reform process under the Gillard Government, Coalition Basin spokesman Simon Birmingham said today. It was revealed in Senate Estimates this morning, under questioning from Senator Birmingham, that the…
DetailsAustralian taxpayers are paying millions of dollars for round-the-world travel by public servants attending global talks on climate change at a rate of more than one global gathering per week, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today. The Gillard Government spent $2.74 million on travel by public servants to attend…
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