Federal Member for Nicholls, Sam Birrell MP, says the only way to stop damaging water buybacks in the Murray-Darling Basin is to elect a Coalition government.

Mr Birrell said the Albanese Labor government has raced to commence another 100 gigalitres of water buybacks on the eve of the election being called.

“Labor said it would consult communities, but this round of buybacks has been started before completing the last round, evidence that consultation is a sham,” Mr Birrell said.

“The government claims minimising social and economic impacts is one of the three guiding principles of its Basin Plan, but it is only interested in recovering unnecessary additional water, whatever the cost.”

The Department of Climate Change Environment Energy and Water (DCCEEW) will proceed to purchase a further 100GLof water identified through the Expressions of Interest process while they still have not finalised all the contracts for the 70GL purchase held last year.

“Irrigators and communities have a right to be cynical about another round of open tender water buybacks before the election, without knowing which communities the water will come from or what environmental outcomes will be achieved,” Mr Birrell said.

“Only a Dutton-Littleproud government will restore balance to the Basin Plan and end the open tender buybacks.

“Nationals Leader David Littleproud could not have been clearer when he confirmed in an interview after the buyback was announced that we won’t be taking an extra 450 gigalitres out of the consumptive pool if elected.

“The economic and social risks to basin communities are too great to trust Labor with water policy.