The Greens are calling for NSW National Party Ministers to be removed from having any role in water management due to their continued mismanagement of the Murray-Darling basin and the water minister's sacking of the NSW drought coordinator without the knowledge of the Premier, said Cate Faehrmann Greens spokesperson for Healthy Rivers.
“It’s time the Liberals took over management of water from the National Party. In the last few weeks the Water Minister has sacked the drought coordinator without telling the Premier, called for the scrapping of the Murray-Darling Basin plan and blasted a federal agency for providing essential environmental flows even though they were signed off by her department,” said Ms Faehrmann.
“This is exactly the sort of thinking that has lead to fish kills, dying rivers and towns nearing day zero. The Natural Resources Commission’s report into the Barwon-Darling water sharing plan details how the Nationals mismanagement brought on the drought three years early. Even government sources are saying that the National Party squandered billions of dollars worth of drought relief helping their irrigator mates.
“The Federal government’s drought report has stated clearly that droughts are going to become more frequent and intense due to climate change, but Melinda Pavey can’t prepare for the impacts of climate change because she refuses to accept it’s happening.
“We can’t afford to leave water in the hands of the National Party any longer. The Premier must step in and save regional NSW and farming communities from the incompetence and ignorance of the National Party,” Said Ms Faehrmann.
Contact: Jacob Miller - 0428 837 292
