INSTEAD of finding water for the Murray Darling Basin system through engineering or other innovative schemes, the proposed MDB Plan will only cut food production and decimate regional communities, according to Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire.
“This ought to be a Sydney Harbour or a Snowy Mountains moment," Mr Brokenshire said,
“This is the time for true nation-building stuff. Why isn’t the MDB Authority engaging engineers and scientists to consider solutions to add water to the system for environmental and irrigation community benefit?”
“The cuts from the start of buyback to their conclusion will cost over $6 billion, we’ll lose between $1-2b recurrent nationwide in agricultural production from the Basin and then there’s the impossible to quantify billions in social cost in breakdown of regional communities.
“We think its reasonable to say that in forward estimates of three years we’re talking a minimum $10b cost to the nation from cutting allocation.
“We have major food security issues. World population is growing, but land mass is not. By adding water to the system, expanding instead of cutting agricultural R&D to find efficiencies like frost, drought resistance and water efficiency, we can meet food security challenges and grow food and economic yield from the basin."
Mr Brokenshire said engineering solutions once considered too expensive must be put on the table.
“Be it the new opportunity of Wivenhoe Dam west of Brisbane, the Clarence or Burdekin River schemes, the Tallowa Dam Project, cloud seeding, channels to connect Spencer Gulf to Lakes Torrens & Eyre etc –the Authority should be asking the experts for considered opinions on these scenarios," he said.
"Why not spend $10b on an engineering solution to add water, rather than cutting back water allocation and food production?"
Mr Brokenshire said if the Authority would not look into nation-building water engineering solutions for the Murray-Darling Basin, he would seek State Parliamentary approval for its Natural Resources Committee to conduct that investigation and submit its findings to the authority.
“It is in SA's interests to have these considered, so if the MDBA won’t do it, we should,” he said.
“Family First maintains that environmental flow for the Murray must always be the number one consideration and an engineered solution will assist with that. "Together with irrigation efficiencies and other water savings, we support a holistic approach to saving the Murray Darling Basin and our food security.”
