The release of the Constraints Implementation Roadmap shows there is still a very long way to go to deliver a realistic Basin Plan, according to Shadow Water Minister, Perin Davey.
The Roadmap makes 12 findings and recommends a 10 year implementation period but according to Senator Davey, many of the findings reflect what communities have been saying for over a decade already.
“I am relieved that we are finally seeing a document that echoes what people have been saying, but it just confirms that for the more than a decade, they haven’t been listening,” Senator Davey said.
“I share the frustration of stakeholders who must be scratching their heads, thinking we wouldn’t need another 10 years if you had just listened to us from the start.
“The fact they now realise many of the flow targets contained in the original Basin Plan are too high in a managed flow scenario is welcome, but they still haven’t gone back to adjust the original models to reflect that.
“We are still in a race against time to deliver a Basin Plan that was predicated on flow targets they now accept they cannot achieve.
“The priority must be to recognise the offsets to water recovery that dealing with constraints will have, and recognise the reduced water recovery accordingly,” Senator Davey said.
Senator Davey said the state Ministers must work together to determine a methodology to recognise constraints offsets as recommended by the Roadmap.
“The worst possible outcome would be chasing further water recovery that can’t be effectively delivered just to meet a target that was built on false numbers.
“It is clear, if we want to realise the full benefits of the taxpayers money that has been spent on the Basin Plan and get the best possible environmental outcomes, we need to deal with constraints in a practical and measured way.
“It is also clear dealing with constraints was always about getting better outcomes while reducing the need for further water recovery.
“Communities have long said the Basin Plan should be about outcomes over water recovery, it is high time we listened,” Senator Davey concluded.
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