The Independent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, blames Vic nationals for plot to cut environmental flows to the Snowy River
Posted by waterweek on 5 October 2007
The Independent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has written to the Federal Member for Gippsland, Peter McGauran, seeking a guarantee that the federal takeover of water will not affect pre-existing commitments on returning environmental flows to the Snowy River.
“Disingenuous political opportunism”: “The state National Party is again showing double standards and disingenuous political opportunism on the Snowy flows issue, a cause which they have shown very little real commitment or support. “While I support recent comments by the state National Party leader that pre-existing commitments to the already stressed Snowy and Murray rivers should come before new projects, the Nationals have actually done everything in their power to stop water projects to the Snowy.
Those “two-timing Nats”: “In almost the same breath as calling for the protection of Snowy flows, the two-timing Nats are demanding that Victoria signs up to the Federal Water Plan, which is the biggest threat to the State Government meeting its commitments to the Snowy environmental flows.
This follows the Federal Government’s push through the Parliament of its new water bill which hands the commonwealth the power to takeover parts of the management of water in the Murray Darling basin. Ingram says the federal plan is the latest and most significant threat to ensuring that the three governments’ commitments on water savings for the Snowy River can be delivered”.
Telephone: (03) 5152 3491 Fax: (03) 5152 2023 Email: craig.ingram@parliament.vic.gov.au http://www.craigingram.com
