Reports that the Labor Water Minister, Tanya Plibersek, did not read a sensitive water resource plan before accrediting it as required by law calls into question the veracity of all her decisions says Shadow Water Minister, Perin Davey.
Reports today in the National Indigenous Times[i] say the Minister has admitted that she did not have a copy of the NSW Fractured Rock Water Resource Plan before her when she accredited it.
As required by section 63(5) of the Water Act, the minister is required by law to consider the plan prior to accrediting it.
“This is a damning admission by the Department and the Minister and calls into question how many other decisions she has made without being fully across her brief,” Senator Davey said.
“According to departmental advice the Minister had a range of material before her when making her decision, but to not have, or not know whether you have, the actual document you have to approve is not good governance.
“It begs the question what other decisions she has made without reading the detail?
“Did she decide to block the Blayney gold mine based without reading all the evidence and reports recommending it go ahead?
“Was she prepared to close the Tasmanian salmon industry without understanding all the detail?
“This is a Minister that has refused to meet stakeholders and refused to spend time in the areas most impacted by her decisions and it is being reflected in her approach to her approvals or rejections,” Senator Davey said.
Senator Davey said the revelation exposed by the legal action being taken by the Murray Lower Darling Indigenous Nations calls into question every accreditation signed by the Minister in her role as the Labor Water Minister.
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[i] Department can’t confirm Minister read controversia… | National Indigenous Times