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| Nick Xenophon calls for royal commission into alleged Murray Darling water misuse | Nick Xenophon calls for royal commission into alleged Murray Darling water misuse |
| (5 months later) | |
| Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young says she will write to auditor general to request review of Murray Darling Basin Authority | |
| Gareth Hutchens and agencies | |
| Fri 1 Sep 2017 10.58 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 4 Sep 2017 11.17 BST | |
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| Nick Xenophon has called for a royal commission into water theft along the Murray Darling river system, following fresh allegations of water misuse in Queensland. | Nick Xenophon has called for a royal commission into water theft along the Murray Darling river system, following fresh allegations of water misuse in Queensland. |
| The Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has pledged to write to the auditor general to request a review of the Murray Darling Basin Authority, which is supposed to ensure the $13bn Murray Darling Basin plan is working properly. | The Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has pledged to write to the auditor general to request a review of the Murray Darling Basin Authority, which is supposed to ensure the $13bn Murray Darling Basin plan is working properly. |
| The ABC aired allegations this week that a farm situated on the McIntyre River in Queensland has a levee, and non-approved earth works, that are preventing huge amounts of water from flowing downstream. The farmer denied the claim and said the levee was a road, built before he took over the property, and it had drains to allow floodwaters through. | The ABC aired allegations this week that a farm situated on the McIntyre River in Queensland has a levee, and non-approved earth works, that are preventing huge amounts of water from flowing downstream. The farmer denied the claim and said the levee was a road, built before he took over the property, and it had drains to allow floodwaters through. |
| The report also revealed glaring problems with the Murray Darling Basin plan itself, and an alleged failure by the MDBA to listen to the concerns of affected farmers. | The report also revealed glaring problems with the Murray Darling Basin plan itself, and an alleged failure by the MDBA to listen to the concerns of affected farmers. |
| Xenophon said the allegations highlighted the need for a royal commission, because all levels of government had a case to answer, but the current Senate inquiry could not compel a state government agency or state public servants to appear. | Xenophon said the allegations highlighted the need for a royal commission, because all levels of government had a case to answer, but the current Senate inquiry could not compel a state government agency or state public servants to appear. |
| He will be putting up a motion in the Senate next week asking for documents from the MDBA and the federal government about the latest allegations. | He will be putting up a motion in the Senate next week asking for documents from the MDBA and the federal government about the latest allegations. |
| “It looks like this $13bn project, this nation-building plan to save the river, to save farming communities is being built on a house of cards because the compliance mechanisms just have so many holes in them,” Xenophon said. | “It looks like this $13bn project, this nation-building plan to save the river, to save farming communities is being built on a house of cards because the compliance mechanisms just have so many holes in them,” Xenophon said. |
| He also said the deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, could not continue to credibly act as minister for water and agriculture because the portfolios had competing interests in protecting the environment and farmers’s interests. | He also said the deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, could not continue to credibly act as minister for water and agriculture because the portfolios had competing interests in protecting the environment and farmers’s interests. |
| Hanson-Young said she would also write to the auditor general requesting a review of the MDBA in the wake of further claims of misuse of water in the river system. | Hanson-Young said she would also write to the auditor general requesting a review of the MDBA in the wake of further claims of misuse of water in the river system. |
| “How many more reports of water misuse and theft need to come out before proper action is taken?” she said on Friday. “It’s time to shine a light on where the plan is being exploited. | “How many more reports of water misuse and theft need to come out before proper action is taken?” she said on Friday. “It’s time to shine a light on where the plan is being exploited. |
| “River communities are crying out for the government and the Murray Darling Basin Authority to listen to their long-held concerns, and act. Those living in the Basin known all too well that if their neighbour’s doing the wrong thing, there will be others doing the wrong thing elsewhere. | “River communities are crying out for the government and the Murray Darling Basin Authority to listen to their long-held concerns, and act. Those living in the Basin known all too well that if their neighbour’s doing the wrong thing, there will be others doing the wrong thing elsewhere. |
| “We need decisive action on this and unfortunately we have a minister who can’t make decisions because of his citizenship bungle. He’s not just an incompetent water minister, he’s now utterly useless. We need a new minister who can act and clear up this rorting and corruption,” she said. | “We need decisive action on this and unfortunately we have a minister who can’t make decisions because of his citizenship bungle. He’s not just an incompetent water minister, he’s now utterly useless. We need a new minister who can act and clear up this rorting and corruption,” she said. |
| Murray-Darling Basin | |
| Water | |
| Nick Xenophon | |
| Sarah Hanson-Young | |
| Nick Xenophon Team | |
| Australian Greens | |
| news | |
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