Murray-Darling changes restored in Senate
The federal government has restored changes to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, despite warnings from the Greens they could kill the river in South Australia.
In February, Labor and the Greens teamed up to block a change to the plan reducing the amount of water being returned to the environment in southern Queensland and northern NSW, easing pressure on farmers in those regions.
But the government and opposition struck a deal last month, paving the way for legislation to clear parliament on Monday night.
Assistant Water Minister Anne Ruston, who is also a South Australian irrigator, said doubt over the future of the plan had caused anxiety in basin communities.
"It's a bill that will provide certainty to irrigators, communities and basin states," Senator Ruston told parliament.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young warned changes to the plan could lead to the river's demise in the next decade.
"Already we can see that as the drying periods are coming upon us, there just isn't the water in the river to keep it flourishing and keep it alive," Senator Hanson-Young said.
She's concerned large irrigators will get water which could be used for environmental purposes.
Under the deal between the coalition and Labor, 450 gigalitres of water will be returned to the environment provided the economic and social impacts are neutral.
