The remorseless destruction of the Murray-Darling river system is arguably the most grotesque of this country's more obscene political and environmental crimes of the 20th century. It's right up there at the top.  

Thursday's "communique" told us what our nine political leaders propose "doing" to "establish the new governance of the Murray-Darling Basin", the food bowl for much of the continent. 

And that is what? 

To quote: "Under the [new] inter-governmental agreement [signed on Thursday], [all] governments commit to a new culture and practice of basin-wide management and planning, through new structures and partnerships. Key elements of the arrangements are the preparation of a whole Basin Plan by an independent, expert Murray-Darling Basin Authority. Central to [this plan] will be sustainable diversion limits on water used in the basin to ensure the long-term future health and prosperity of the Murray-Darling Basin and to safeguard the water needs of the communities that rely on its water resources." 

There you have it: another new "plan" by another new "committee", this time an "independent, expert Murray-Darling Basin Authority" to replace the authority various governments have been stocking and restocking with their own people for 40 years, mostly recently the John Howard model under the chairmanship of the former National Party federal leader and cabinet minister Ian Sinclair. 

Buckets Of Baloney In The Basin