Attempts to derail Basin Plan fail

ABC

Two motions to disallow the Murray-Darling Basin Plan have been comprehensively defeated in the House of Representatives, on the last sitting day of the year.

Motions moved by the Nationals MP for Riverina, Michael McCormack, seconded by the Liberal MP for Murray, Sharman Stone, and also by Queensland MP Bob Katter, were defeated by 95 votes to five, with most Coalition MPs supporting the Labor Government.

Mr McCormack, Dr Stone and Mr Katter were joined by NSW Liberal Alby Schultz and Greens MP for Melbourne Adam Bandt in voting to kill off the Basin Plan.

Shortly before the vote, the Water Minister Tony Burke implored the parliament not to reject the new law.

"For many members of this House, this debate is really hard and really difficult, particularly with conflicting views within their electorates," he said.

"But the truth is, if we don't fix this, it will not be fixed. If this parliament blows it up, let's face fact, there will never be a Murray-Darling Basin Plan."

It was the third disallowance moved against the Plan this week, with a Greens motion defeated in the Senate on Wednesday night by 44 votes to 9.

While they've agreed to the Plan, the state governments now need to agree on the implementation of that Plan, including who should cover the costs involved.

That's expected to come to a head when the Council of Australian Governments meets at the end of next week.

Meanwhile, after months without a formal appointee, Mr Burke has named David Papps as the new Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, the man responsible for managing the Commonwealth's environmental water entitlements.

Mr Papps is currently the director-general of the ACT's Environmental and Sustainable Directorate, and will take up his new role before Christmas.