THE Federal Coalition is trying to plug the controversial north-south pipeline.
Coalition water spokesman Greg Hunt told The Weekly Times the Senate would introduce amendments to the Federal Government's Water Act this week banning new diversions of water out of the Murray Darling Basin.
"Everyone knows the Murray system is struggling under the burden of ongoing drought conditions and the over-allocation of water licences," Mr Hunt said.
He said it was "bizarre and irresponsible" of Federal Water Minister Penny Wong to support the diversion of 75,000 megalitres of water every year from the Basin's Goulburn River to Melbourne.
"Senator Wong needs to explain to her own state of South Australia why she is happy to drain so much water away from the Murray system, particularly when the Lower Lakes are dying," Mr Hunt said.
The Greens and Independent senator Nick Xenophon have joined the Coalition in threatening to use their numbers in the Senate to prevent the $750 million pipeline from being built.
Plug the Pipe spokeswoman Jan Beer said the group felt it was not too late to block construction of the pipe given the widespread public opposition.
The Coalition wants to tie its amendments to a string of the Government's own amendments to the Water Act that give the Commonwealth the power to draft the Murray Darling Basin plan, determine critical water needs and gives the nation's competition watchdog control over water trading.
However, Mr Hunt said if Prime Minister Kevin Rudd rejected the amendments, the Coalition would not delay the bill.
In that event, he said the Coalition would then introduce private members bills aimed at blocking the pipeline.
Each basin state - with the exception of Victoria - has passed complementary legislation granting the Commonwealth some limited powers over the Murray Darling Basin's water.
However, the states have retained control of how the water is shared under any new basin cap established by the Commonwealth.
Even if Mr Hunt is unsuccessful, the Federal Government will be powerless to act due to last week's decision by the Victorian Upper House to refer its complementary legislative amendments to committee, delaying its passage until December.
Senator Wong said the Liberal Party was simply playing political games in Victoria and nationally that risked delaying crucial legislation.
"What we have today is the Liberal Party playing exactly the same sort of political games that got the Murray-Darling Basin into the problems we have now," Senator Wong said.
"They (the Liberals) should do the responsible thing . . . and support the passage of this legislation . . ."
