PRIME Minister Julia Gillard weighed into the controversial resignation of MDBA chairman Mike Taylor, contradicting him by saying a triple bottom line outcome was indeed attainable.
Ms Gillard said the government had the correct interpretation of the Water Act 2007 and not Mr Taylor, and would now forge ahead with achieving a “triple bottom line win” with its water reforms.
Speaking to Rural Press exclusively on the same day Mr Taylor’s resignation was first announced, Ms Gillard outlined Labor’s commitment to delivering a balanced plan for managing the Murray Darling Basin.
Mr Taylor’s view of the Water Act, which favoured environmental outcomes ahead of social and economic factors, was the jutting philosophical difference that forced his eventual departure.
Asked who had the right interpretation of the Water Act, Ms Gillard said, “The government’s right”.
She said to understand why it was best to gather a historical perspective, looking back in time and then to the present day.
The Prime Minister said the Water Act made its way through Parliament originally, when the Howard Government was in office and former Liberal Leader Malcolm Turnbull was the Water Minister.
Ms Gillard said it was clear from Mr Turnbull’s statements at the time, that he believed the Act was in the right form to optimise environmental, economic and social outcomes.
“We believe the Act is in the right form to optimise economic, environmental, social outcomes and we have legal advice to that effect,” Ms Gillard said.
“The Water Act is in the right form to have the Murray Darling Basin Authority put together a plan that has an optimisation of social, environmental and economic outcomes.
“Clearly there’s been a difference of opinion between the government and Mr Taylor on that but we will be pressing on, looking to optimise across these three areas.
“Mr Taylor’s words in his resignation letter are what he wanted to say and what he obviously puts in that letter is that he’s got a view about the health of the river and the environment being the predominant criteria whereas as a government we say optimise environment, economic and social.
“It is the government’s view that the social effects for regional communities need to be on the table as the MDBA goes about its work.
“We are looking for a plan that optimises in the areas of environmental outcomes, social outcomes and economic outcomes.”
Ms Gillard said people in rural areas would have plenty of time to have their say during the MDBA’s consultation processes next year and could also express their opinions direct to the government.
She said the Authority’s process would be highly consultative for rural communities.
Following the Authority’s release of its Guide to a Draft Basin Plan on October 8, the Prime Minister said a lot of anxiety was generated in rural communities with many people thinking the Guide was final.
“Of course that’s not true,” she said.
“The guide is the first document which after consultation leads to the draft plan, which after further consultation leads to the plan that the Minister will then present to Parliament.
“A lot of people also thought that there would be some compulsion on them to sell water, to give up water (but) the government is saying very clearly that we are about purchasing water from willing sellers.
Ms Gillard said if Shadow Water Minister, Senator Barnaby Joyce had any questions about the Water Act’s meaning and wanted to resolve any lingering ambiguity about it, he should ask Mr Turnbull for advice.
“He (Mr Joyce) would be well advised to get Malcolm Turnbull on the phone and ask him what he meant as Minister when he brought it into the Parliament and Malcolm Turnbull would have to tell him that he meant that we should be optimising healthy rivers, food production and viable regional communities,” she said.
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