TALK to resolve a Senate deadlock on the $42 billion economic stimulus package have hit a snag with independent senator Nick Xenophon demanding it include water reforms.
Xenophon says that he can’t support the economic stimulus package without “structural adjustment” for the Murray-Darling.
I think Brian Harradine was the first Senator to make a practice of horse trading for unrelated benefits for his state on bills where the vote was close. What Xenophon is proposing may or may not be a good idea, but its relationship to the purpose of the stimulus bills is surely fairly tenuous. While the scrutiny of government bills is no doubt a good thing, is it politically ethical to tack demands onto legislation on other subjects? And wouldn’t Xenophon’s amendment or negotiating chip itself be hasty legislation not subjected to proper scrutiny or policy forethought?
I can’t see how that can work in a stimulus package. Some sort of immediate buy-back of water entitlements? The implications for something like that on the workings of the water market would have to be very well thought through – not the kind of thing you want for quick passage of a stimulus plan. Sounds like ‘notice me’ posturing to me.
I’m not sure about the phrase ‘politically ethical’. Why not just ‘ethical’? Anyway, no, it isn’t. It’s blatantly opportunistic and clearly against the public interest. He’s a clown, bettered only by the likes of clown-in-chief Senator Fielding.
BBB
Given the size of the package I’m sure that Fielding and the Greens are also asking for thing their supporters would want – unless the recession gets worse its going to get harder to justify large bits of spending in the future. If there hasn’t been previous analysis and policy development of the use of the water reforms that Xenophon wants then the government has been rather slack. The federal government has been promising action for a long time for helping the Murray. As for scrutiny, well according to the government apparently a few hours is sufficient
Heard Xenophon on RN this morning. He seemed to be saying that it wasn’t that he wanted any of the $42bill diverted to the MDB, more that he wanted measures to include radically speeding up the use of monies already allocated to both water buy-back and irrigation infrastructure in the Basin.
He made a surprisingly cogent argument that if water isn’t bought back in the next 3-6 months rather than over years as the government plans, large long-term orchards of citrus and nuts are going to die, resulting in large job losses. He also argued that there are plenty of agreed irrigation efficiency projects that are ‘shovel ready’ (the new phrase for us all to learn to hate – are ‘working families’ ‘shovel ready’?).
If that is what he genuinely asking for, I would have thought it was possible for the government to do a deal that would see the previously allocated funds for the MDB brought forward and spent more rapidly. They have been ridiculously slow in responding to what is unquestioningly a crisis.
So I’ll fence sit on Xenophon on this one. Incidentally he also said he’s supporting the Greens & FF pushing for more measures for the unemployed.
Johm Howard was promising for a long time, and we know how worthless his promises were.
Surely, given the lesson in the consequences of global warming the Victorian bushfires are, the Rudd Government would now seriously consider doing something immense about our potential water problems? Though I don’t think it should be tacked onto the stimulus package. As for what the greens are tacking onto it, they seem to be an improvement on Rudd’s existing suggestions on insulation,solar heating etc. And in anycase unlike Xenephon and the 2007 losers they’re not threatening to block the package, and have specifically stated they’re not going to hold the country to ransom.
Fielding’s a fool and we all know that, but the more I see of this Xenophon creep the angrier he makes me. As I said before, I thought he was bad news, but he’s actually even worse.
He’s reason enough alone for Rudd to go for a double dissolution in the future.
I dunno, Paul. It kind of looks to me that the guy actually takes his job as a Senator seriously. Senators are supposed to be deliberative and unwilling to be rushed into supporting legislation until they’ve considered it — which will make them unpopular, of course, but it’s one of the reasons they have longer terms than members in the lower house.
Paul @ 5 – didn’t Xenophon get a quota all on his own with no need to go to preferences at the last election? If there’s a double dissolution you may end up with two of him!
Shovel ready working families.
Working ready shovel families
Working shovel ready families
Ready families working shovel
Families ready shovel working
Families shovel working ready
…. just checking out where the next angle might come from. Hollowmen style.
Xenophon is and always has been a shameless self-promoter. The media always lapped it up, of course, and fell over themselves to encourage him in his various stunts. South Australian state politics is all the better for his departure; it’s just a pity he’s not “gone” gone.
“He’s reason enough alone for Rudd to go for a double dissolution in the future.”
A double dissolution will mean Xenophon will require only half the quota to get back in, giving him an extra few years in the Senate. Ditto for Fielding, with the possibility of a second Family First rep piggy backing.
“Ditto for Fielding, with the possibility of a second Family First rep piggy backing.”
Most unlikely. Without Labor prefs, again, Family First is dead meat in Victoria.
So the country’s rooted.
Myriad
I’m not sure that’s a cogent argument – I don’t think the intention of the Government is to reallocate water to OTHER irrigators but to use it to keep the river going (so take it ‘out of the system’ irrigation wise).
So it doesn’t matter how quickly the water gets bought, it’s not going to save plantings which require permanent irrigation.
In the light of climate change, Xenophon would be better off arguing that anyone wanting to making a living off plantings which require regular summer watering should be given financial assistance to relocate to areas not so reliant on irrigation.
Time we got real about this: the idea that somehow we’ll ‘get back to normal’ and can continue ‘business as usual’ will simply create greater problems in the future.
South Australia is watering the desert between Bordertown and Coomandook. Maybe as a South Australian Senator, Xenophon can explain this as he attacks Murray irrigators.
Kim: Doing something about the Murray Darling situation being construed as “hasty legislation not subjected to proper scrutiny or policy forethought?” You think we need another Canute Committee, there isn’t enough paper on the table?
And tarring an appeal to do something, urgently, about the MDB as “horse trading for unrelated benefits for his state”? What part of “nation’s food bowl” is it that we have different understandings about?
danny, but that misses the point. The legislation is designed to stimulate the economy as quickly as possible – and as widely as possible (ie across the whole country). As I said, Xenophon may or may not have a point about the worth of his scheme – but if it’s been cooked up and passed or agreed to in a couple of days, it looks much more like Howard style back of the envelope stuff than a considered policy response. It also completely invalidates the “scrutiny” angle.
None of this means that more shouldn’t be done about the Murray-Darling. Obviously.
On behalf of my state, I apologise to Australia for giving you Senator Xenephon. (Not that I voted for him.)
Anyone who thinks a DD would get rid of him is, unfortunately, mistaken. For reasons I don’t quite understand, he’s very popular over here and would retain his Senate seat without breaking a sweat.
If there’s a double dissolution, another Ann Bressington may make it into the Senate. Now that would be weird.
Who’s Ann Bressington?
She’s the loopy #2 on the No Pokies ticket last SA election, who got in when Nick Xenophon polled 2.5 quotas. Basically an anti-drugs campaigner.
Hi Mehitabel,
(disclaimer: I really don’t know a lot about Xenophon so what I write here does not constitute either a defence or support of his actions etc etc)
I’ve not represented what Mr X said very well. What he said was that it would help people have some security and plan their futures if they could sell their water rights now, rather than waiting for the gov’t to enter the market piecemeal, which is what they are currently doing. He spoke about the advice of scientist Mark (or Mike) Young on this matter. So he seemed to be talking both in terms of a) buying back water faster to save the system and b) providing more options and therefore more security for farming operations in the basin by making the option to sell water rights and get out now more readily available – presumably this also benefits those wanting to stay (viable river = viable farms).
without going reading what Young has to say and not being able to find a web page for Xenophon, not sure I can help more than that.
I do know that there are irrigation efficiency projects planned for the MDB which would significantly benefit current growers, as simply put more water would be delivered rather than lost back to the system. Of course as scientists have pointed out, that 20-30% that isbe ‘lost’ from inefficient irrigation systems actually goes back into recharging groundwater etc., so ‘saving’ it for irrigators might actually impact very badly on the system as a whole.
At any rate here’s the audio if you want to listen yourself and see if he’s making sense or not.
At the polling station where I was handing out Greens stuff last election, there was a bunch of Xenephon supporters. They were extremely well resourced (in that they had heaps of people and were relieved more frequently than most), but were generally clueless about his policies. (I assume he had some.)
In fact, the only groups who had more bodies on the ground were Labor (heaps of teachers, etc, campaigning against Work Choices basically) and Family Fist (who had the whole congregation at their disposal).
Dear all
Senator Xenophon is a rather interesting young man, whether one agrees with his politics or rather singular way of getting his values/concepts into the public consciousness or not. However, equating him in any way with Senator Fielding is most unfair. He is highly intelligent, very well read, a ferocious advocate and is a very hard working person.
Initially a personal injury lawyer, Xenophon became very alarmed at how many injured people, on receiving their compensation payouts lost the monies on the pokies. Initially he tried to spruik his concerns whilst working as a lawyer. Finally he landed on the idea of attempting to win a seat in our upper house (SA) as a single issue independent in an effort to get pokies banned. He had little funds to pay for personal advertising and therefore had to come up with a myriad of stunts in order to get media exposure, some were hilarious. He reminds me of the Energiser Battery chappie, and in fact his antics to get himself noticed endeared himself very much with South Australians, and then, when he got air time he spoke very sensibly and clearly about what concerned him. I believe he became as well recognised here as the McDonald’s ‘M’. The rest is history.
He admits that he failed in his attempt to get pokies banned, but people are now far more understanding of the massive problems they cause due to his work. Amelioration programs have also been introduced due to his lobbying. Though no longer a single issue politician, I think he will always stick to a few major interests, and as an SA Senator, I believe that he sees his consitutional loyalty lies with SA. The plight of our fruit and vegetable growers reliant on the Murray/Darling basin concerns him a great deal. He has written and spoken a great deal of his fears that Australia’s largest food bowl is likely to wither on the vine unless something is done soon.
BTW, I don’t know this man personally, or voted for him – I just like feisty people who hang on grimly for what they believe is right. I doubt he had any idea that trying for the Senate would leave him being a main man – but don’t think that he won’t use it for all it is worth, and who would blame him?
@20 – thanks!
Fielding looks like he’s under some stress, from his appearance in the Senate televised today. Could it be he’s a bit upset Labor is treating him like he’s stupid. That might be a bit unwise. He’s just the kind of thickhead to build up a head of resentment and derail the stimulus package.
Yes Fielding was really looking flaky in the Senate on the ABC news tonight and not making much sense at all. I think Labor has every right to get pissed off with his erratic behaviour – voting bills down on first readings – and now pulling a weird 4b jobs package out from his hat.
It his moment of glory, so it is likely he won’t support it. Labor must be ruing their preference deal with Family First that elected him. That’s politics. . .
Peterc,
Somehow I think Labor would have actually found the Greens a much better bet. At least they’re rational and reasonable and open to debate (and would’ve blocked some of the Libs more egregious policies if they’d had the balance of power). Of course the danger might have been, Howard might have got another three years as a result.
I hope you’re wrong about Fielding blocking the stimulus package, but yes, I fear its possible. After all he wants to deliver goodies to his fundy mates setting up these employment agencies. Now what might one call that kind of political activity?
‘Rectifying structural inefficiencies’, and similar high falutin’ nice sounding phrases, is the remedy that those who have no idea about the real causes of the problems of the Murray and no idea how to solve them use to hide their ignorance and cowardice.
After using a phrase or two or three like that the speaker can then promise savings of untold billions of litres of water by the day after tomorrow or ‘soon’ afterwards.
I don’t really know what Xenophon is banging on about.
I know he was crawling to the irrigators here in SA trying to secure their future votes.
And irrigators are the cause of the problem so that doesn’t bode well for intelligent policy.
But maybe he has a better set of ideas than I give him credit for.
I must admit my perception of him has been coloured by his shameless empty populism he exhibited here in SA and the cause of his popularity.
He only had to fart and the “Advertiser” said it was a sweet smell. But they changed their tune when he went for the Senate, some sort of falling out occurred.
The Murray is a problem easily fixed, it could be essentially done in a year or two at the cost of a desalination plant. That is, get rid of the desal plant and spend that money wisely and you could have [fewer] happier irrigators, more water for the urban areas and a far healthier river.
But the political challenge is too great.
I dunno whether to put some effort into finding out what Xenophon is really on about. The essence and the detail not the public rhetoric and sound bites.
I suspect, strongly in fact, that it would be a wasted effort.
But there is a chance I could be mistaken.
Herald’s reporting that XenoFielding have both said they will vote against the package here – http://www.smh.com.au/national/42b-stimulus-package-sunk-20090212-85of.html?page=-1
I have to say my personal opinion is that the XenoFielding actions are unbelievably shite. The package should be evaluated on it’s own merits – which is what the Greens did to it, proposed sensible amendments aimed at improving the thrust of measures already in the package.
What XenoFielding demanded was the inclusion of expensive provisions unrelated to the proposals. Fielding’s completely pie-in-the-sky spending measures are particularly pernicious – he had practically no detail. Xenophon has it seems his heart in the right place in terms of saving the Murray-Darling but this bill is not a Murray-Darling bailout. It’s an economic bailout.
In the end they can both be lumped in with the Tory wasters who will vote against the bill.
35-all. Bill defeated. Fielding voted for it. Xenophon voted with the wasters on the opposition benches.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/42b-stimulus-package-sunk-20090212-85of.html
BLOCKED
35-35 vote in the Senate
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25044943-601,00.html
The thing that irritates me most about Xenephon voting against the bill (aside, of course, that it delays my snout’s contact with the public trough) is that, even if the govt did chuck a bunch of money at the Murray, there isn’t any actual water to buy anyway, and even if there were, it probably shouldn’t be wasted in allowing a bunch of non-viable irrigators to stay afloat for an extra six months.
The Government will reintroduce the package later today.
New post.
Oh there is water David, don’t you worry about that [said in my best Joh voice].
Less than there used to be partly due due to climate changes but mainly due to land use changes in the catchment areas.
But there is water.
Its just being taken out at a much greater rate than the river can sustain.
So the irrigators can grab ‘theirs’ at the expense of the river and other users.
The problem is who gets what not how much there is.
There are three main categories of users.
Irrigators, urban dwellers, the river itself.
The first is the problem.
For example decrease all irrigation quotas over the catchment by 30% over the last 5 years, or in the future, [just to pull some numbers out of the air] and the urban areas would have a purer assured water supply, the river would be healthier and food would be cheaper.
Priorities.
I dunno about the water, hannah’s dad, at least in SA. The Lakes and the Coorong are screwed, and the river level at the Murray mouth (as I’m sure you know) is close to a metre below sea level.
The problem is that, even if there were some water in, say, Qld and northern NSW, it’d all soak into the banks and be lost to evaporation before it got to Renmark.
An immediate 400 GL would fix the river, all negatives, soakage, evapotranspiration etc all accounted for.
And that is available IF it is NOT given to the irrigators.
I’m 200 kms, by river, upsteam and its below sea level here.
HD: how does food become cheaper with less quotas/water?
Is that the awash-with-funds tax-advantaged-managed-forests-schemes (which push the market price of water up) scenario being taken out of play?
Whoever it was that implied that people who voted for Xenophon were not aware of what they were getting, I’m curious to know where your senate vote went and particularly what policies they were advocating? Did all the people that voted Liberal expect a party that would reject a bill that assists small business?
I voted Greens 1 in the Senate, and placed Xenophon at 2, and I did it because of he made the issue of MDB and it’s management a core part of his campaign. I’m very aware that he campaigned heavily amongst South Australian irrigators and do not see that as a reason to be cynical about him. SA irrigators are comparatively efficient and politically they are difficult to ignore. Am I being overly pragmatic by saying that without them the river at this end would be even more screwed than it is right now? We need people making a living off the river to exist, or are you naive enough to think that the eastern states will start getting all warm and fuzzy about environmental flows? They don’t give a shit about the lower lakes and Mike Rann cares more about Federal Labor than his own states interests.
Also to the person who mentioned the ‘desert’ near bordertown. Those people are robbing the aquifer, as are BHP at Olympic Dam, anyone who has shares in BHP in my opinion is effectively endorsing the mining of water in arid Australia, we should be critical of such things, but I don’t see how it’s relevant to Xenophons actions in the senate today.
Good to see Fielding came to his senses. Or lost his nerve. Always wondered what moral courage was. Now I know.