TONY PASIN MP
MEMBER FOR BARKER
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT
MEDIA RELEASE
WATER AMENDMENTS PASS PARLIAMENT
With blatant disregard for our primary producers and river communities, the Albanese Labor Government’s Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Bill 2023 has now passed the Parliament at an additional cost to the Australian taxpayer.
As part of the negotiations to get the Bill through the Senate, the Albanese Government promised $100 million to the Greens for Indigenous water and $50 million to ACT Senator David Pocock for the upper Murrumbidgee catchment area in return for his support for Government to re-enter the water market and buyback more water.
Work done by water industry experts anticipates the cost of additional buybacks will be in excess of $10 billion, not including the ongoing socio-economic impacts of less water for productive use.
“At a time when Australian’s are suffering from cost-of-living pressures, they are now being forced to fund a massive job destroying policy which will decrease the nations productivity, drive up the cost of living, see more imported food on our supermarket shelves whilst diverting billions of dollars of taxpayers funding from health, education, roads and housing,” Mr Pasin said.
“This Legislation signifies a policy direction based on Green ideology rather than science or economics and it will be to the detriment of Basin communities and the food and fibre they produce,” Mr Pasin said.
“It’s an example of shameful politicking. It’s not in the interests of river communities nor is it in the long-term national interest,” Mr Pasin said.
Media Contact: Charlotte Edmunds 87247730
