“State Government attempts to buy off rural voters with “pathetic” Sustainable Communities payments,” - Independent Member for Murray, Helen Dalton.

Helen Dalton has described the State Government’s $15 million one-off Sustainable Communities payment as “pathetic” and “hush money.”

The payment is part of a $160 million Sustainable Communities scheme, designed to offset the impact of damaging water policies in the Murray Darling Basin.

“It’s estimated that the State and Federal Government will do $2 billion a year worth of damage to the regional Australian economy with their water policies,” Helen said.

“So, $15 million a is a pathetic drop in the river.”

Ms Dalton says the payments are being made in order to silence Local Councils who are the primary recipients of the money.

“I know how politics works. The government is just trying to buy silence while they do over the people of Murray, again,” said Helen.

“Premier Chris Minns needs to fix the problem which is his governments failed water policies,” she continued.

“No amount of hush money will silence the people of my electorate.

“I’ve also told Minister Moriarty that we don’t want a handful of pocket change.

“We just want sensible water policies that protect and promote farming families along the Murray Darling Basin.

“The Minister and the Premier wouldn’t need to use taxpayer-funded hush money to silence anyone if they simply stood up the to the Federal Government, and the Murray Darling Basin Authority, and started running NSW rivers for the benefit of the NSW people.”