WATER buybacks destroy irrigation communities, and The Nationals in government fought for and locked in a safeguard – the socio-economic neutrality test.
No buybacks were permitted in the Murray-Darling Basin unless they had neutral or positive impact on local communities and economies.
Labor teamed up with the Greens to rip away that safeguard and pay lip service to social and economic impacts, demonstrated by this Monday’s discovery Labor are sucking even more water out of irrigation communities, another election stunt to appease Greens leaning voters in Melbourne and Adelaide.
The Albanese Government is racing to open the taxpayer chequebook again for another round of water buybacks before they have even completed the latest round.
The Department announced on Monday they aim to purchase a further 100 gigalitres of water they identified through the Expressions of Interest process – yet they have not finalised all the contracts for the 70GL they bought last year.
The Albanese Government claims its approach to recovering the 450 GL is focussed on three guiding principles: (1) enhanced environmental outcomes, (2) minimising socio-economic impacts and (3) achieving value for money.
This snap pre-election round of buybacks exposes Labor’s lie that they care about social and economic impacts.
Yet again Labor robs regions to buy votes in the inner cities – let’s remember neither the Victorian or New South Wales Labor Governments support buybacks. For all their foibles, State Labor gets it – but Minister Plibersek is more concerned about inner city voters’ agenda for the Murray-Darling Basin.
The Albanese Government’s water buybacks are having a major impact on the water market, with the Government paying a price premium that farmers simply can’t compete with.
Taxpayers are also being taken for a ride with the Albanese Government refusing for the first time since water buybacks began in 2008 to come clean on how much taxpayers funding has been allocated to water buybacks.
Yet again we see Labor’s scorched earth approach to regional Australia, acting like feudal lords running roughshod over farmers for Labor’s political targets.
