Hansard debates

Ms SHEED (Shepparton) (11:30:12) — My question is to the Minister for Water. Minister, what will the Victorian government do to ensure that our irrigation communities in northern Victoria are not short-changed by the recent Murray-Darling Basin deal done by the federal Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, David Littleproud, and the federal Labor opposition? I was pleased to see the Senate last night voted down the Greens' disallowance motion, which now allows 605 gigalitres of important environmental projects to go ahead, as was always intended. However, I remain extremely concerned for my community as a result of the side deal which appears to tie the delivery of these projects with the immediate commencement of work to recover the additional 450 gigalitres of upwater. It was always understood that this additional water would only be considered once the 2750 gigalitres of the original plan was achieved and should only proceed if there were no further negative socio-economic impacts in our communities.