BUYBACK TENDER INFORMATION BLACKOUT ANOTHER BROKEN PROMISE

Jan 25, 2024 | Media Releases, Media Releases 2024

The Albanese Government’s broken promises on tax cuts and power bills are just the tip of the iceberg, with the promise to improve transparency also gone, according to Deputy Leader of the Nationals and Shadow Minister for Water and Emergency Management, Senator Perin Davey.

“On the same day the Prime Minister is at the Press Club trying to justify his lie, the Government has quietly released details, or lack of details on the last round of water buybacks,” Senator Davey said.

“The information the Government has released on the $55.5 million water buyback round gives us no more information than telling us how many dollars individuals received.

“There is no information about price per megalitre, total megalitres recovered per valley or type of water product purchased.

“If anything, they’ve given us the wrong information. 

“Individuals should not be outed, but the Government should be transparent about how much it has recovered to date in each valley towards the Bridge the Gap target and for how much.

Senator Davey also questioned the Government’s total financial commitment to buybacks with industry experts estimating the cost to taxpayers of the legislation passed late last year to be in excess of $10 billion.

“We know when it comes to programs which drive up the cost of food, increasing inflation and driving down productivity, water buybacks are right up there as water is taken out of production.

“Stopping buybacks and redirecting the funds saved to addressing the cost of living would be a sensible policy,” Senator Davey said.

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