Screws turned on Abbott as Coalition seats at risk

LOCAL stakeholders have demanded Opposition Leader Tony Abbott make his position clear on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan after the federal water minister turned his back on irrigation communities yesterday.

The fate of the long-awaited plan will be placed in the hands of the Coalition when it is presented to parliament next week.Minister Tony Burke failed to eliminate the single biggest threat to communities water buyback in the final plan, ignoring an ultimatum from the NSW government to limit the removal of water from the state.

Throughout the Griffith community's two-year battle for a balanced plan, Mr Abbott has maintained he would "not support a bad plan", but refused to commit to a position until the document was finalised.

Local water campaigner Paul Pierotti said the Coalition should not overlook the danger of losing its Nationals seats throughout the basin over the sensitive issue of water availability.

"Without a cap on buyback this is clearly and obviously a bad plan," Mr Pierotti said.

"Both (prime minister) Julia Gillard and Tony Burke have admitted buyback is extremely damaging to communities.

"Tony Abbott needs to be put on notice that any Coalition member who does not stand against this bad plan will be remembered in the upcoming election."

While the Coalition holds the key to the success or failure of the basin plan, there is one more hurdle for Mr Burke to overcome the state governments.

Last week, the NSW government declared it would put its own cap on buyback if the water minister did not include restrictions in the plan.

If the plan does pass through parliament, that promise will be the Griffith community's last hope.

"Because it has become a political plan, we need to align ourselves very closely with the state government and make sure they do the right thing to support communities," Wine Grapes Marketing Board CEO Brian Simpson said.

"If they can block buyback, that will be a good outcome for us all.

The plan has been billed as the legislation that will bring an end to a 100-year argument over water reform."Our other chance here is something we haven't talked about yet people power through rallies and that sort of thing. We could get to the point where we need to take that step."

Mr Burke is expected to present it to parliament next Thursday.