Is there no limit to Commonwealth $Bn’s that get thrown into South Australia? Water ministers on cusp of ‘momentous’ Murray-Darling Basin Plan decision
Is there no limit to Commonwealth $Bn’s that get thrown into South Australia? Water ministers on cusp of ‘momentous’ Murray-Darling Basin Plan decision
Adelaide doesn’t use much water –
Around 100 gigalitres (GL).
About 1.25% of the water diversions in the Murray-Darling Basin.
Compared to SA in general (including irrigator use) has used an average 11% of water diversions .
NSW has diverted 52% of surface water in the Murray-Darling Basin over the same period.
Hence, the reality is that ramping up SA’s desal plant will have very little actual impact on NSW irrigators’ water allocations.
And the desal plant is just so expensive to run.
Sounds like the whole of Australia will be helping to pay for this, probably so the politicians can keep some farmers happy.
The government’s remains largely fixed Turnbull’s disastrous LaborLite policies. Whether it’s Snowy 2.0 or the latest round of PC offerings like this SA desal white elephant.
We’re apparently “powering forward” to somewhere god only knows where, the whole sorry mess sounds disappointingly similar to another prime minister’s delusions of a few years ago:
youtu.be/nFzMZYRkn5w
While you are talking about States sucking money out of Canberra on unworthy schemes; remember Tasmania trying to get Canberra money for their “Battery of the Nation” pumped hydro boondoggle. Here is Tassie Hydro tweeting about a second BassLink all part of their “Battery of the Nation”.
twitter.com/HydroTasmania?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
The Feds should lock up their cheque book where Tasmania is concerned. If “Battery of the Nation” or a second Basslink cable are good investment propositions then private investors will stampede to build them.
Another “State” proving to be not viable – unable to manage spending – Northern Territory Government in financial crisis, will seek bailout from Canberra – Santa ScoMo will have to dig deep again – Oh never mind it is only debt. Darwin blames completion of the Inpex gas project but that timetable would have been obvious for years. I like the way the NT Treasurer rules out cost saving & revenue generating measures. Just come and ask Daddy at Christmas.
The ABC reports – Plan to revive Adelaide’s desalination plant to help Murray River 14Dec18
all the signs are there for another avalanche of Commonwealth dollars into South Australia.
And worse when GreenLabor inherit this.