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| Coalition orders Murray-Darling review after allegations of water theft | Coalition orders Murray-Darling review after allegations of water theft |
| (about 23 hours later) | |
| Turnbull says he will seek agreement of all Murray-Darling states for independent review into compliance with the basin plan | |
| Katharine Murphy Political editor | |
| Sun 30 Jul 2017 07.22 BST | |
| Last modified on Sun 30 Jul 2017 08.25 BST | |
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| The Turnbull government has announced an independent basin-wide review into compliance with the Murray-Darling basin plan, with a report to be produced by December. | The Turnbull government has announced an independent basin-wide review into compliance with the Murray-Darling basin plan, with a report to be produced by December. |
| The review follows serious allegations aired by the ABC’s Four Corners program last week that water was being harvested by irrigators in the Barwon-Darling region of the Murray-Darling basin to the detriment of the environment and downstream communities. | The review follows serious allegations aired by the ABC’s Four Corners program last week that water was being harvested by irrigators in the Barwon-Darling region of the Murray-Darling basin to the detriment of the environment and downstream communities. |
| After a week of public contention and controversy, Malcolm Turnbull issued a statement on Sunday saying he would seek the agreement of all the Murray-Darling states to undertake the review and report back to the Council of Australian Governments. | After a week of public contention and controversy, Malcolm Turnbull issued a statement on Sunday saying he would seek the agreement of all the Murray-Darling states to undertake the review and report back to the Council of Australian Governments. |
| The prime minister’s statement said while the government was confident the basin plan was being implemented, “it is important that basin communities and all Australians have confidence that the rules that underpin fair and lawful water use throughout the basin are being followed”. | The prime minister’s statement said while the government was confident the basin plan was being implemented, “it is important that basin communities and all Australians have confidence that the rules that underpin fair and lawful water use throughout the basin are being followed”. |
| He said the deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, would write this week to water ministers seeking their agreement to terms of reference for a strategic review of compliance and enforcement regimes in the Murray-Darling basin. | He said the deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, would write this week to water ministers seeking their agreement to terms of reference for a strategic review of compliance and enforcement regimes in the Murray-Darling basin. |
| “We expect that, as part of their agreement to the review, basin water ministers will commit to providing the Murray-Darling Basin Authority with ready access to all relevant information and the full support and cooperation of relevant state officials,” the prime minister’s statement said. | “We expect that, as part of their agreement to the review, basin water ministers will commit to providing the Murray-Darling Basin Authority with ready access to all relevant information and the full support and cooperation of relevant state officials,” the prime minister’s statement said. |
| The Four Corners program alleged that billions of litres of water bought by taxpayers to return to the environment under the basin plan were being allegedly pumped out by some irrigators for cotton growing. | The Four Corners program alleged that billions of litres of water bought by taxpayers to return to the environment under the basin plan were being allegedly pumped out by some irrigators for cotton growing. |
| The program broadcast recordings of the deputy director general of the NSW Department of Primary Industries, Gavin Hanlon, allegedly offering to share internal “debranded” government information with a group of irrigators via a Dropbox account. | The program broadcast recordings of the deputy director general of the NSW Department of Primary Industries, Gavin Hanlon, allegedly offering to share internal “debranded” government information with a group of irrigators via a Dropbox account. |
| After the report was broadcast, the South Australian water minister, Ian Hunter, called for a judicial inquiry, and he said the NSW government needed to account for the claims. | After the report was broadcast, the South Australian water minister, Ian Hunter, called for a judicial inquiry, and he said the NSW government needed to account for the claims. |
| “If the allegations are correct, that at a very senior level in the public service in New South Wales that people have turned a blind eye to this, then that is very concerning,” Hunter said. | “If the allegations are correct, that at a very senior level in the public service in New South Wales that people have turned a blind eye to this, then that is very concerning,” Hunter said. |
| Last week, Joyce said the issue of water theft from the Barwon Darling system in northern NSW was “an issue overwhelmingly for NSW”. He said he would wait for the findings of a NSW inquiry before taking the matter to the Council of Australian Governments. | Last week, Joyce said the issue of water theft from the Barwon Darling system in northern NSW was “an issue overwhelmingly for NSW”. He said he would wait for the findings of a NSW inquiry before taking the matter to the Council of Australian Governments. |
| Joyce subsequently told a gathering at the Hotel Australia in Shepparton that he had taken over responsibility for water and “put it back into agriculture, so we could look after you and make sure we don’t have the greenies running the show basically sending you out the back door”. | Joyce subsequently told a gathering at the Hotel Australia in Shepparton that he had taken over responsibility for water and “put it back into agriculture, so we could look after you and make sure we don’t have the greenies running the show basically sending you out the back door”. |
| “A couple of nights ago on Four Corners, you know what that’s all about? It’s about them trying to take more water off you, trying to create a calamity. A calamity for which the solution is to take more water off you, shut more of your towns down.” | “A couple of nights ago on Four Corners, you know what that’s all about? It’s about them trying to take more water off you, trying to create a calamity. A calamity for which the solution is to take more water off you, shut more of your towns down.” |
| Turnbull’s statement on Sunday made it clear Canberra no longer intended to wait for the NSW inquiry, and it said strong compliance regimes were “just as important for irrigators as they are for the environment and basin communities”. | Turnbull’s statement on Sunday made it clear Canberra no longer intended to wait for the NSW inquiry, and it said strong compliance regimes were “just as important for irrigators as they are for the environment and basin communities”. |
| “The vast majority of the irrigation sector follow the rules attached to their water licenses, and the Coalition government remains strongly committed to supporting this innovative and productive industry.” | “The vast majority of the irrigation sector follow the rules attached to their water licenses, and the Coalition government remains strongly committed to supporting this innovative and productive industry.” |
| The review will be undertaken by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission. The process will identify the highest areas of risk of noncompliance and undertake a strategic analysis focused on these areas. | The review will be undertaken by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission. The process will identify the highest areas of risk of noncompliance and undertake a strategic analysis focused on these areas. |
| According to Sunday’s statement, the terms of reference of the review will cover: | According to Sunday’s statement, the terms of reference of the review will cover: |
| The appropriateness of and compliance with state laws, statutory instruments (including water resource plans), the terms and conditions of water licences and entitlements and any other relevant powers or approvals; | The appropriateness of and compliance with state laws, statutory instruments (including water resource plans), the terms and conditions of water licences and entitlements and any other relevant powers or approvals; |
| The adequacy of water measurement and monitoring arrangements, including metering and investigating irregular activity; and | The adequacy of water measurement and monitoring arrangements, including metering and investigating irregular activity; and |
| The adequacy of governance and institutional arrangements necessary to ensure legally compliant water use. | The adequacy of governance and institutional arrangements necessary to ensure legally compliant water use. |
| Labor’s environment spokesman, Tony Burke, said the new review lacked firepower, and could not provide sufficient protections for witnesses. | Labor’s environment spokesman, Tony Burke, said the new review lacked firepower, and could not provide sufficient protections for witnesses. |
| Turnbull's Murray Darling review cannot compel witnesses, cannot seize documents, cannot provide whistleblowers with protection. #auspol | Turnbull's Murray Darling review cannot compel witnesses, cannot seize documents, cannot provide whistleblowers with protection. #auspol |
| But Turnbull said the review would complement other reviews, including one by the Commonwealth Auditor-General, set up in response to the ABC’s investigation. | But Turnbull said the review would complement other reviews, including one by the Commonwealth Auditor-General, set up in response to the ABC’s investigation. |
| He said the government would work to ensure the review would not delay the full implementation of the basin plan as agreed by Coag in June 2017. | He said the government would work to ensure the review would not delay the full implementation of the basin plan as agreed by Coag in June 2017. |
| Murray-Darling Basin | |
| Water | |
| New South Wales | |
| Australian politics | |
| South Australian politics | |
| New South Wales politics | |
| news | |
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