This is a panicky government that is unable to perform the most basic task of selling of its policies. As a consequence, any chance of meaningful reform to end the over-allocation of the Murray-Darling Basin is unlikely.
Andrew Robb called it correctly during the election campaign, even if he was scoring a political point. This Government panics at the slightest pushback. Thus its sudden announcement yesterday of a parliamentary inquiry into the impacts of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, coming as a few hotheads carry on like buffoons at the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s consultation meetings.
Bear in mind that the Government doesn’t have a single seat affected by this, with the possible exception of Bendigo, which contains part of the Campaspe River. But clearly the Government has been rattled by Simon Birmingham’s canny demands for Tony Burke to participate in the consultations. Tony Burke shouldn’t be participating in the MDBA consultations — it’s an independent authority preparing advise to the Parliament — but the Government appears incapable of getting that message across. Read more.
Andrew Robb called it correctly during the election campaign, even if he was scoring a political point. This Government panics at the slightest pushback. Thus its sudden announcement yesterday of a parliamentary inquiry into the impacts of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, coming as a few hotheads carry on like buffoons at the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s consultation meetings.
Bear in mind that the Government doesn’t have a single seat affected by this, with the possible exception of Bendigo, which contains part of the Campaspe River. But clearly the Government has been rattled by Simon Birmingham’s canny demands for Tony Burke to participate in the consultations. Tony Burke shouldn’t be participating in the MDBA consultations — it’s an independent authority preparing advise to the Parliament — but the Government appears incapable of getting that message across. Read more.