The move flies in the face of claims by Water Minister Tanya Plibersek that all options to finalise the Basin Plan are on the table with buybacks only one tool in the kit, according to Shadow Water Minister Perin Davey.
“The minister promised buybacks would only occur where they met three key principles: value for money; enhanced environmental outcomes; and minimal social and economic impact - but we know she cannot have done any real evaluation of the last two in the time allowed,” Senator Davey said.
“We also know that in one case she has paid 200 per cent above market rates which does not represent what most people would deem value for money.
“This is now the third call for tenders in the southern Basin in 18 months and we still haven’t seen a report on the impacts of the first round conducted under the Bridging the Gap tender.
“But we have seen a report from the Inspector-General of Water which shows for the $205 million Bridging the Gap tender the department failed to have information barriers in place to prevent market manipulation, failed to require staff to lodge declarations of interest, and failed to ensure staff involved in the tender attended probity training.
“Essentially, the department failed basic governance and yet here we are again conducting more EOI processes with no assurance those issues have been addressed and no assurance that the three principles are being applied with any rigour.”
Senator Davey said after conducting a first round of buybacks under the Bridging the Gap process, the government has now opened northern basin tenders for the same target.
“It just goes to show this government and this minister are chasing buybacks above all else, prioritising green inner city votes over the health of the basin and the wellbeing of basin communities.
“Against the 450 target they recently closed a 70 gigalitres southern basin tender in mid-September, and have now released two new EOIs in the same areas, one for all water types (including within infrastructure schemes) and the other for parcels over 20 gigalitres.
“At the same time the government is looking to purchase water under the Aboriginal Water Entitlements Program.
“How can they be sure their actions in the water market aren’t having a perverse outcome when they are easily the largest market player and when they have a track record of paying above standard market rates?
“Meanwhile all this water is being purchased, yet there has been no progress on managing constraints and no progress on complementary measures - both critical to achieving the key environmental and ecological outcomes envisaged under the Basin Plan.”
