25 November 2008 in Media
The people of the Lower Lakes and Goolwa have become Kevin Rudd’s forgotten people after the first twelve months of his Prime Ministership.
Mr Rudd has talked about the situation in the Lower Lakes but failed to take the required action.
While there are no quick fixes to the issues that bedevil the Lower Lakes, Mr Rudd has made several decisions which will make the situation worse. These include:
- Giving into the States demands on the veto power, thus failing to create a true national system.
- Mr Rudd buckling under the pressure of John Brumby allowing the Goulburn pipeline to go ahead.
- Mr Rudd and his Water Minister, Ms Wong, taking the foot off the pedal on infrastructure investment that will save enormous amounts of water.
- Mr Rudd failing to assist the forgotten people of the Lower Lakes and Goolwa with a financial assistance package to get them through the immediate crisis.
- Mr Rudd and his Water Minister purchasing at high cost a station in northern NSW that will deliver very little back to the system.
- Mr Rudd talking about buybacks but only delivering 849 megalitres in real water after 12 months or 2% water, 98% air.
It is time for Mr Rudd and Ms Wong to take action, not more words on the Lower Lakes. They can start by guaranteeing that the lakes will have the additional water required to remain fresh.
The Government should also implement an assistance package to the people of the Lower Lakes and Goolwa to help relieve the pressure during this immediate crisis. While the climatic situation in the Murray Darling Basis remains difficult, the Rudd Government can and should be doing more to implement the necessary changes to system as laid out in the Howard/Turnbull plan in January 2007.
I only hope the next twelve months ushers in more action and less words.