Member for Barker Tony Pasin MP has warned that a Labor Government will result in the return of Buy Backs which will cruel river communities including those in the Riverland.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese was in Adelaide on Friday campaigning for marginal city seats, spruking the Labor policy for the Murray Darling Basin Plan and confirmed the reintroduction of Buy Backs to achieve the additional 450GL.

“Basin communities including here in the Riverland know all too well the devastation Buy Backs have had, which is why the Coalition Government has ruled them out,” Mr Pasin said.

“We all know the whole of community impact water Buy Backs have on local economies. We’ve seen it first-hand last time Labor was in Government and we don’t want to see it again.”

“Taking water away from growers sends shockwaves throughout the community to every small business, every worker, every family.

“In contrast, the Coalition remains firmly focused on putting the 2.6 million people living in basin communities at the heart of the Basin Plan,” Mr Pasin said.

“I’d love to see Mr Albanese and his Shadow Water Minister Terri Butler step out of metropolitan Adelaide and stand up in towns like Renmark, Waikerie or Berri and explain how his plan will work. Labor needs to be honest about their plan to buy back water,” Mr Pasin said.

“I get the sense that people living and working in the Basin are sick and tired of people who don’t telling them how to manage the River Murray.”

Mr Pasin said any additional water recovery needed to be delivered through neutral socio-economic benefits by increasing efficiencies, not water buybacks.

Mr Pasin also criticised Labor’s plan to revive the National Water Commission saying more bureaucracy would not achieve any positive outcomes for the Basin or its communities.

ENDS.