| Description |
1 online resource (streaming video file) (45 min. 4 sec.) ; 271694983 bytes |
| Summary |
Will the largest water reform plan in the nation's history deliver a healthy river system, or will it be stymied by political compromise?"Burn the plan, burn the plan."This was the chant of angry irrigators in Griffith, NSW, as they set fire to the document containing what they believed to be the plan for their destruction. The document made clear to them that the organisation in charge of the Murray Darling Basin was saying the current way of doing business in the Basin will not continue. And that can only mean there is less water to go around. And for a people who measure their wealth in water, the discussion was inflammatory."What you should do is get in your cars, go back to Canberra, take back the message of this meeting, draft your resignation letters while you're in the car.""If I was you I wouldn't wait till 3 o'clock I'd get your friggin' cars and get the fuck out of here now!"Their fury caught the nation's attention and the Gillard Government hit 'pause'.Four Corners asks, what happens next? Marian Wilkinson reports from the Basin where all sides are digging in for a fight. As one grape grower in NSW says: "We're not going to give up anything. We're going to fight for our rights and we'll march on Parliament, we'll march wherever we gotta go."While a South Australian fisherman at the bottom of Murray warns those upstream that environmental change is coming, whether they like it or not: "It's like a cancer. It'll kill its way upstream. It's coming to get them."These comments give a flavour of the passionate lobbying being experienced by the Federal Government and the body charged with reforming the system, the Murray Darling Authority.The program examines the enormous political pressure being placed upon the Authority in interviews with the newly appointed Chair and the Federal Water Minister.With the Government promising to put a decision before Parliament in 12 months time, they must decide who gets the water and just how much. A pain-free solution is unlikely, so will the politicians have the ticker to make the tough decisions? Will the largest water reform plan in the nation's history deliver a healthy river system, or will it be stymied by political compromise? |
| Notes |
Closed captioning in English |
| Event |
Broadcast 2011-03-07 at 20:30:00 |
| Notes |
Classification: NC |
| Subject |
Government business enterprises.
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Law reform.
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Water resources development -- Law and legislation.
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Water-supply, Agricultural -- Economic aspects.
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Australia -- Murray River Region.
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Streaming video
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Burke, Tony, contributor
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Freeman, Rob, contributor
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Harriss-Buchan, Arlene, contributor
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Hart, Barry, contributor
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Jones, Henry, contributor
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Joyce, Barnaby, contributor
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Kent, David, contributor
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Kingsford, Richard, contributor
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Kirkup, Gillian, contributor
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Knowles, Craig, contributor
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Mccague, Bruce, contributor
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Mussolino, Sam, contributor
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O'Brien, Kerry, host
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Tucker, Brett, contributor
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Wilkinson, Marian, reporter
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Willis, Ed, contributor
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