Water Act 2007

MEDIA RELEASE
LOUISE BURGE WANTS WATER ACT CHANGED

Independent candidate for Farrer, Louise Burge is calling for the Water Act 2007 to be amended to ensure a balance between social, economic and environmental values.

Both major parties in their water policy announcements for the Murray Darling Basin, have failed to acknowledge the flaws in the Water Act 2007.

Mrs Burge said it was incomprehensible that the Act could undermine food production in Australia, by failing to give equal weighting to the social, economic and environmental issues.

She said these failings of the Act would be fully identified on the release of the Murray Darling basin Plan, when environmental interests are given priority to the interests of food production and people.

“The Act 2007 was drafted by the Liberal Party during a major extended drought period and there is a complete failure of both parties, to acknowledge the severity of the drought across the Murray Darling Basin system,” Mrs Burge said.

“All communities in the irrigated food producing regions should be alarmed that policy announcements on the Murray Darling Basin have all occurred in South Australia.

“Water dependent communities need to acknowledge how their future will be mapped out. It is clear that there is significant pain to come,” she said.

Mrs Burge has a strong history of representing agricultural interests across NSW and was an early advocate against Managed Investment Schemes.

“It was clear back then what the risks were, but major parties would not listen,” she said.

As an independent candidate, Mrs Burge will strongly argue the need to amend the Water Act.

“This is essential to ensure a practical approach to meeting environmental objectives while maintain the economic basis of regional areas,” she said.

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