Windsor admits Murray plan may fail

Key independent MP Tony Windsor says there's no guarantee the Murray-Darling Basin
plan will get through parliament.
Mr Windsor on Thursday welcomed the government's decision to ask the parliament's
new regional affairs committee to look at the human cost of changes to
Murray-Darling water allocations.
Cuts being flagged by the independent Murray-Darling Basin Authority have attracted
an angry reaction at community meetings across the food bowl.
Mr Windsor said he would be pleased to sit on the committee, but there was a long
way to go before a final plan was in place.
"It will require give and take from all sides of the problem to develop solutions
that maintain people's ability to make a living, feed the nation and make sure the
environment is looked after sustainably," he said in a statement.
But Mr Windsor admitted even the final plan may not get approved.
"This is not going to happen overnight and in the current make up of the parliament,
even after the change of Senate in July next year, it's not going to be a fait
accompli either, Mr Windsor said.
The Australian Conservation Foundation's Dr Paul Sinclair said the inquiry's terms
of reference should look at what would happen to river health, irrigation, tourism,
grazing, fishing and other industries if no changes were made.
Dr Sinclair said it should also look at short, medium and long-term social, economic
and environmental costs and benefits from various ranges of water cuts, from 3000 to
7600 gigalitres a year.