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Fed Govt poised to seize Murray-Darling control

Posted December 3, 2008 01:50:00
Updated December 3, 2008 06:57:00

The Opposition has reluctantly decided to vote to let the water bill pass. (ABC News)

• Related Story: Brumby slams Fed Oppn's pipeline stance

The Federal Opposition says it has reluctantly decided to vote for the Government's water bill which brings the Murray-Darling Basin under Commonwealth control.

The Opposition has attacked the Government for not accepting an amendment that would block the Victorian Government's North-South pipeline.

But the Opposition Senate leader, Nick Minchin, says the Opposition has reluctantly decided it will vote with the Government to let the bill go through.

He has attacked the Government for not accepting an amendment that would block the Victorian Government's North-South pipeline.

"It lets the Victorian Labor Government off the hook with this quite destructive and outrageous proposal that the Victorian Government has to build a North-South pipeline," he said.

But the Coalition's environment spokesman, Greg Hunt, says the Opposition has attached a declaration to the bill which calls on the Government to stop the pipeline.

"It will mean that the water bill will go forward with a unique declaration compelling the Government to prohibit construction of the North-South pipeline," he said.

"If Mr Rudd chooses to defy a Senate declaration attached to legislation then that is a matter that is very serious he must and should comply."

Tags: government-and-politics, federal-government, federal-state-issues, irrigation, water, australia

Comments (4)

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• Pen Pal:

  03 Dec 2008 9:35:51am

  I would expect that 's what the Opposition should do - let's face it, John Howard wanted to do it in February 2007 and with a big cheque book to boot. It was only stupid Victoria that scuttled the deal.

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• Zak:

  03 Dec 2008 9:38:55am

  Yet another example of the opposition thinking that they are still the government.
  
  How many of these declarations were attached to bills passed by the senate when the howard government was in power?
  
  
  

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  • Patch:

    03 Dec 2008 9:48:28am

    There is a good case for the pipeline not to go ahead, Melbourne could capture its storm water, which currently flows into the bay, or recycle water which means the pipeline is unneccessary and is hurting the river system out of plain laziness. I also heard they could pipe water from tasmania, where there is no shortage of it as well.

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• Billy Bob Hall:

  03 Dec 2008 9:42:14am

  Where is the referendum ?
  Constitutionally they cannot.
  
  

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