In question time last week, Minister for Water Harriet Shing refused to support irrigation communities by campaigning against the Commonwealth government’s open tender water buybacks.
The Victorian state Labor government spent close to $3M dollars of taxpayer’s money on campaigns against the Morrison Coalition government in the 2019 and 2022 federal elections.
State Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell rose in question time to ask if Water Minister Shing would support irrigation communities by launching a similar advertising campaign criticising the Federal Albanese Labor government’s water buybacks.
In reply to Ms Lovell’s question, the Water Minister refused to commit to publicly campaigning against Labor’s water buybacks.
This is despite both the Minister and the Premier telling a Water Leadership Forum in Bendigo last week that they opposed the Commonwealth’s buybacks, and the Premier saying they would always put Victoria first and stand up to the Commonwealth no matter what the colour of the government in power.
“Minister Shing claims to oppose water buybacks in negotiations with the Commonwealth, but who really knows what is said behind closed doors,” said Lovell
“When it comes to putting her money where her mouth is, the Water Minister refuses to publicly campaign against the Albanese Labor government’s destructive water buybacks policy.”
“It’s clear that the State Labor government is more interested in protecting its Federal Labor colleagues, than effectively campaigning for the interests of Victorian farming and irrigation communities.”
“Minister Shing’s refusal shows that Labor will always put Labor first, and Victorians second.”
