Research released today by The Australia Institute showing taxpayers are funding private dams for big business, further proves corporate corruption is killing the Murray Darling Basin and inflicting further suffering on farming communities, the Greens say.
"Corporate irrigators are ripping off the River, ripping off their neighbours and ripping off the taxpayer," Greens Spokesperson for Water Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
"It's outrageous private dams that stop water flowing to downstream users and the environment, are being built with public money for the exclusive use of big business, and yet no public information on these dams exists.
"There should an urgent audit of water licences and storages, both public and private. We also need a Royal Commission into the Murray-Darling Basin to get to the bottom of this mismanagement.
"Dams are not the answer and they are definitely not a drought policy. If the Federal Government really wants to help farmers and ensure the sustainability of our food bowl, they'll start by getting a climate policy and cleaning up the mess they've made in the MDB."
