A FIERY clash in Federal Parliament has reignited the bitter fight over the future of the Murray-Darling Basin, with the federal environment minister rejecting claims the government is “destroying family farms”.
During Senate Estimates hearing last month, Environment and Water Minister Murray Watt pushed back against calls for a Royal Commission into alleged water corruption and defended the government’s water buyback program.
One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts grilled the minister over the value of government buybacks of irrigator water licences under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
Senator Roberts then launched a pointed attack, warning the policy was crippling rural Australia.
“I’m just curious. Once you have destroyed family farms through the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and emptied out the bush, what will Australians in your cities, and your millions of new arrivals, eat?” he asked.
Mr Watt rejected the claim, insisting stronger environmental protections were vital for both the river system and the future of agriculture.
“The government’s view is that the long-term health of the Murray-Darling Basin system and the future of the agriculture industry in that region rely on better environmental management of water in the basin,” he said.
“We think this is essential to future food security.”
But Senator Roberts shot back that many farmers would strongly disagree.
“I’m sure many, many farmers don’t agree with you on that one,” he said.
The senator also raised pressure mounting in New South Wales politics, noting the New South Wales Parliament had passed a motion calling for a Royal Commission into water corruption.
“Your own party, the Labor Party in NSW, voted for this measure,” Senator Roberts told the minister.
He pressed further, asking whether the federal government would back a national inquiry.
“Do you support a federal royal commission, and, if not, on what basis do you disagree with your state counterparts?” he asked.
Mr Watt cast doubt on the claim that the state vote was unanimous.
“I’m not sure that it was a unanimous vote,” he replied.
He made clear he had no appetite for launching another sweeping investigation into water policy or the basin plan.
“It’s not my view that we need yet another Royal Commission into water policy or the Murray-Darling Basin,” he said.
“I recognise there are some independents, particularly in the NSW Parliament, who support that.”
Instead, the minister pointed to several reviews already underway into the future management of the basin, including new work being undertaken by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.
“You may have seen the Murray-Darling Basin Authority released a discussion paper about the next version of the plan,” he said.
“My view is that we should proceed with the work that is already intended, rather than launch an expensive repeat of a royal commission.”
