The leaked report on the dire health of the Murray Darling Basin not only highlights the grave situation in the Coorong and Lower Lakes but also puts the spotlight on the calamity facing the nations food bowl.
Opposition spokesman for water security, John Cobb, said the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Minister for Water, Penny Wong, were very blasé about where their food comes from and have never faced severe shortages.
"Irrigation will become increasing important as climate change begins to bite and it is vital that the Rudd Government puts the nation’s food security at the top of its priority list," Mr Cobb said.
Mr Cobb has asked Minister for Environment, Peter Garrett, why the Rudd Government was supporting the Victorian Government’s "theft" of 110 billion litres out of the Murray Darling Basin via a pipeline from the Goulburn River to Melbourne.
"Minister Garrett refused to give any commitment that he will stop the pipeline," Mr Cobb said.
"How can Prime Minister Rudd support a pipeline with a capacity to pump 110 billion of water out the MDB when not only are the Lower Lakes in South Australia in crisis, but the entire MDB food bowl is again on zero water allocations this year.
"Australian’s, whether they are working or not, are all facing escalating food prices and the ridiculous decision to take 110 billion litres out the MDB will result in a massive increase in food prices across Australia, particularly when the drought is still biting.
"Australian farmers could produce enough food to feed six million people a year with 110 billion litres of water."
Mr Cobb said the former Government’s $10 billion plan for water security guaranteed the food security for future generations while also returning water to the environment and increasing water security for urban communities.
"Communities, farmers and the environment within the MDB are crying out for help – inland Australian’s and the environment does not have access to desalination plants and are wholly reliant on water which falls within the MDB."
Mr Cobb said couple this with the worlds’ major food producing regions all being hit with climatic disasters over the past year and the ever present threat of diseases such as Avian Influenza hitting major agriculture producers, severe food shortages are a real prospect.
"Unfortunately the Rudd Government doesn’t have a clue about what it is trying to achieve within the Murray Darling Basin; the Nation’s Fresh Food Bowl.
"Under the current water policy when the drought finally breaks, MDB communities will go from a climatic drought straight in to a Rudd-made drought."