The Nationals in Coalition with the Liberals have moved to establish a Commission of Inquiry into the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH), introducing Bills in the House of Representatives today and Senate overnight to support the investigation into the impact of buybacks on Murray-Darling Basin Communities.

Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster said despite the Albanese Labor Government’s promises, there is no transparency, accountability or certainty for farmers on how Commonwealth-held water is being treated.

“Every farmer in Mallee treats every litre of water as truly precious because it produces the food we need, and that a growing world, needs,” Dr Webster said.

“The CEWH needs to ensure every litre of water it holds is getting positive environmental outcomes with maximum efficiency.  The Coalition’s Inquiry will ensure every litre of water that can be made available to irrigators is made available.”

“The Nationals are listening to irrigation communities and their loud and clear message is they want a proper inquiry into what is happening with environmental water.  The last evidence I saw was that the CEWH holds more water than it can use each year, yet the Albanese Labor Government is out buying even more water from irrigation communities. 

“We also need investment in the infrastructure in nation’s foodbowl, the Murray-Darling Basin.  Some of it is over a century old.  Labor have spent $13 billion buying productive water out of irrigation communities, shrinking their economies – it’s high time they invested back in productivity through water infrastructure.  Instead, the Albanese Labor Government is distorting the water market with their lazy politics of water buybacks.

Over 2.3 million Australians live in the Murray-Darling Basin and deserve the transparency of this Inquiry which would report back to Parliament, not to Government as a Royal Commission would, Dr Webster said.

“Time and again the Prime Minister promised, in Opposition, his government would be transparent, accountable, govern for all Australians, and that no Australians would be held back or left behind. 

“Labor have been doing precisely the opposite in regional Australia, and 4 years in we need the disinfectant of a transparent inquiry before regional irrigation communities collapse.

“Every time Labor are required to show transparency to the Australian community, they are found severely lacking.”

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