WHEN it comes to implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, it appears the federal water minister is merely a figurehead.
None of the water ministers in more than a decade of the plan has had much understanding of this complex issue. It is their department and its bureaucracy that make the decisions and direct whichever minister has been allocated the portfolio.
The only direction from the minister is around political imperatives which involve not upsetting those in city or South Australian marginal seats.
As such, we need to understand that failings of the basin plan are only partly the fault of various water ministers, and responsibility for this social and economic disaster should instead be directed to unelected people behind the scenes.
The current Water Minister, Tanya Plibersek, appears to have minimal understanding of water policy and management complexities and has not done enough to improve her knowledge.
Despite numerous requests she has never even bothered to visit areas that are most affected, such as the Southern Riverina.
However, when there is a change of government or cabinet reshuffle she will move on but little will change; the bureaucrats will just be left to indoctrinate a new minister. 4
And when we have the inevitable realisation that the basin plan was poorly modelled and poorly delivered, no-one will be held accountable.
Stephen Ball
Mayrung, NSW
