The Greens have welcomed the strong statement from former environmental water holder David Papps on the incompetence of Barnaby Joyce and the Nationals.

“David Papps has belled the cat on the danger this Government is to the Murray Darling Basin and the environment,” Greens Murray Darling Basin spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“It’s clear the National’s goal is to strip water off the environment and the Greens will stand up and stop them. 

The Greens are calling on the National Party to lose the Water Ministry following the release of the Productivity Commission’s damning draft report into the failed management and implementation of the Murray Darling Basin Plan.

“The Productivity Commission has belled the cat on the lack of faith the community has in the Government’s commitment to save the river,” Greens Murray Darling Basin spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“The Nationals must be stripped of the water portfolio to get the river’s management back on track.

REISSUED

The Australian Greens are calling on Water Minister David Littleproud to stand aside after fraud charges were laid against his wife’s second-cousin John Norman, who for seven years of ripped off river communities and the taxpayer.

“Now that charges have been laid, the Water Minister should step aside to avoid any perceived conflict of interest. This water thief has stolen water, defrauded the taxpayer and must front the full force of the law,” Greens Murray Darling Basin spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Senate has today has supported a Greens motion condemning the Government for hiding from the South Australian Murray Darling Basin Royal Commission.

“Our river is on life support and our government is in witness protection,” Greens Murray Darling Basin spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“The Senate has sent a clear message to this government: this isn’t good enough. Give the people of South Australia the respect they deserve and stop hiding, show up and tell the truth.

The passage of the Water Amendment Bill before the Senate tonight may be unlawful and could risk a High Court challenge, according to the SA Royal Commissioner investigating the Murray Darling Basin Plan.

“This is a bad piece of legislation that will set the Murray Darling Basin Plan backwards. It is in direct contradiction to the purpose of the Plan, which was to ensure the environment got the water it needed for the river system to survive,” Greens Murray Darling Basin spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Australian Greens will move an amendment to the Water Amendment Bill 2018, listed on the Senate schedule for today, to include the delivery of the 450GL promised to South Australia. 

The Australian Greens have slammed the Liberal Government and Murray Darling Basin Authority for attempting to corrupt the South Australian Royal Commission by trying to stop officials from giving evidence, and hiding from the people of Mayo during an intense by-election campaign.

South Australia has been sold out and the Murray has been failed following the Ministerial Council’s decision to crabwalk away from the Murray Darling Basin Plan today, The Australian Greens say.

“Today’s decision by the Water Ministerial Council is a blow to South Australia and the survival of the River. The Turnbull Government and upstream states are crab-walking away from the objective of the Murray Darling Basin Plan – to save the River,” Greens Murray Darling Basin spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Australian Greens are thrilled to announce Major ‘Moogy’ Sumner AM, Ngarrindjeri elder, will contest the seat of Mayo in the upcoming by-election.

The Greens’ campaign will focus on putting people and the environment back at the centre of decision-making, including saving the Murray, protecting the Great Australian Bight, while fighting to address inequality and for more Aboriginal representation in the federal parliament.