The South Australian Liberal Party has labelled action by SA Water Minister Susan Close as divisive and extremely concerning at today’s Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council meeting.

Key points:

  • The SA Liberals have criticised SA Water Minister Susan Close for withdrawing support for a socio-economic test 
  • The test assesses water recovery projects that form part of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan
  • Ms Close says she’s following recommendations from the Royal Commission

Ms Close walked away from a socio-economic test designed to assess projects specific to delivering the 450 gigalitres of environmental water to South Australia. 

The test, agreed upon by all basin states in 2018, requires no negative social or economic impacts on communities, from projects designed to deliver part of the 450 gigalitres.

Shadow Minister for Water Resources and the River Murray Nicola Centofanti said the minister’s actions puts river communities and their futures on the line. 

“By Susan Close removing her support for this and reversing to the easy road of buybacks, we think she’s putting the viability of irrigation districts and country communities and industries they support at risk,” Ms Centofanti said.

Nicola Centofanti has criticised the minister’s withdrawal of support for the test.(Supplied: Nicola Centofanti)

“The opposition believe the Labor government should be continuing to focus on water efficiency schemes which do deliver water outcomes without reducing productivity.

“Often they boost regional economies because they utilise local businesses to deliver the efficiencies.”

Royal Commission recommendation

Ms Close said it should be no surprise she withdrew her support at the meeting as it was a direct recommendation from SA’s Royal Commission into the plan. 

Susan Close says water for the environment must remain a priority under the plan.(ABC News)

“I’ve acted as one should act in government, consistent with recommendations from a Royal Commission,” she said.

“There is a socio-economic test that sits within the plan already and we’re very comfortable with that.

“We will also assess all projects that come to us when the Commonwealth open up the program to make sure they do no harm to our Riverland communities.”

She said the socio-economic test criteria had been used unfairly by other states in the past to stop projects that could deliver additional parcels of the 450 gigalitres.

“Now Tanya Plibersek is in charge, she’s going to be able to define the way in which we are able to get those efficiency projects up,” Ms Close said.

The Murray-Darling Basin Plan has a June 2024 deadline.(ABC: Jessica Schremmer)

“We need to make sure we’re not putting artificial barriers in the way of that being supported.”

Today’s meeting was the first time the new basin water ministers were able to come together, a move Ms Close said “reaffirmed the commitment to the plan”.

“This is about supporting river communities and a healthy, working river … which South Australia is committed to,” she said.

“I thought there was a lot of support around the table for that attitude.”

Water ministers will meet again early next year to discuss their actions moving forward as the 2024 deadline for the Murray Darling Basin plan looms closer.