Return water management to the people of NSW

Member for Barwon Roy Butler is urging the NSW Government to stand up for itself in the battle to secure a better water sharing deal for the state.

Mr Butler said Barwon communities had been battling the effects of poor water management for years and it was time the Parliament of NSW gave them back their power to scrutinise back.

“I’ve tabled legislation that would remove the power of the Commonwealth to enforce its view relating to water management on New South Wales,” Mr Butler said.

“The Murray-Darling Basin Plan has devastated communities and industries; it has turned agriculture on its head and damaged the environments it was supposed to support and protect.

“No one would today be of the view that the Basin Plan is working well.”

To back this up, Mr Butler tabled a new bill on Thursday, the last sitting day of Parliament.

Although he was unable to complete the entire reading of the Bill, it meant it could be recorded in Hansard, parliamentarians could review it over the summer break and it would be on the agenda for a final reading in the new parliamentary sitting year.

Read more in the printed edition of the Western Herald.

Member for Barwon Roy Butler says the people of NSW need to be able to scrutinise water management decisions made by the Commonwealth Photo TWH