Water stakeholders in South Australia have vowed to fight any changes to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan (MDBP) after an interstate politician cast doubt over aspects of the interstate agreement.
New South Wales Water Minister Kevin Anderson this week sparked debate among environmental groups, irrigators and state and federal politicians after travelling through the far west of the state, including Menindee.
He told ABC Broken Hill that he was not supportive of water from the Menindee Lakes being pushed through to the Murray River in SA, and that he wanted the lakes managed differently.
This was despite the MDBP outlining that 106 gigalitres of water from the lakes would help deliver an extra 450 gigalitres that had been agreed upon for SA.
"I would say no to that," Mr Anderson said.
This is despite the federal Labor Party making an election promise to deliver the environmental water in full.
"I don't know why Adelaide should mean more to Mr [Opposition Leader Anthony] Albanese than the Menindee Lakes and this community right here," Mr Anderson said.
Comments spark outrage
Renmark Irrigation Trust chief executive Rosalie Auricht said politicians needed to understand that delivering the plan in full is for the benefit of the entire system, not just the Murray River.
"450 gigalitres of additional environmental water is important in that it can be used numerous times as it comes down the system," she said.
"Where that gets taken from is something to be determined and agreed [upon] between all the states.
SA Water Minister Susan Close said she was committed to stand her ground against the upstream basin states, including NSW.
"All we can do in SA is use every bit of power that we have, and we don't have zero, but it's really tough being at the bottom of the river," she said.
Investigating legal options
Ms Close also said her government would start to investigate their legal options under the Australian Constitution and under the Water Act 2007.
"That's what the last government tried.
"It delivered absolutely nothing, but probably had them laughing at us behind our backs."
Environmental groups frustrated
While water has become a key issue between the major political parties ahead of the federal election, River Lakes and Coorong Action Group member Elizabeth Tregenza said the basin system should not be used as a "political football".
She said the figures used in the basin plan to quantify the amount of water it returned to the environment were becoming "totally meaningless".
Member for Barker Tony Pasin has been contacted for comment.
