The South Australian Royal Commission into the Murray-Darling Basin found river allocations were driven by politics and called for a complete overhaul of the plan.
It accused the Murray-Darling Basin Authority of acting unlawfully, committing gross maladministration and taking a ‘‘head in the sand approach’’ to climate change.
Mr Morrison warned against abandoning an agreement to advance the plan, calling for state governments and his federal opponents to stay the course.
‘‘It’s very important that as we continue to manage what is a very difficult, sensitive and complex issue, that we maintain the bipartisanship in how continue we progress that matter,’’ he said.
MDBA chief executive Philip Glyde rejected ‘‘in the strongest possible terms’’ any suggestion the authority had broken the law.
He said the accusations stemmed from a difference in opinion about the intent of water reform policy, and insisted the authority has been guided by the best available scientific advice.
The CSIRO refuted claims it was pressured to change a report in an ‘‘improper and misleading way’’ by the MDBA.
‘‘CSIRO uses rigorous processes to ensure the quality of our science, including the robust governance and independent review processes used for this work. We strongly reject suggestions that CSIRO’s scientific integrity was compromised, its independence undermined, or that it acted in secrecy,’’ the organisation said.
Labor leader Bill Shorten described the royal commission as a ‘‘rocket’’ up the plan, saying the headlines were damning.
Mr Morrison appeared to throw cold water on South Australian Premier Steven Marshall’s request for a meeting of federal and state governments to look at the inquiry findings, with the prime minister only committing to the normal schedule.
Environment Victoria chief executive officer Jono La Nauze said the report’s findings should jolt the Prime Minister into action, saying the report has ‘‘blown the lid off the epic failure of leadership in Canberra’’.
‘‘The report confirms the amount of water to be saved under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is a compromise on a compromise,’’ Mr La Nauze said.
‘‘It was not what the best environmental science said; it was a political fix to curry favour with vested interests, at the cost of the health of our environment and the rivers that keep regional communities afloat.
‘‘The strength of the language in the report should make clear this is not a case of minor bureaucratic bungling. This has been a systemic, bipartisan failure to look after our most important river system.’’
Yet NSW Farmers has called for caution, saying a ‘‘knee-jerk response’’ would only make things worse and the report should be viewed with some scepticism.
‘‘We must never lose sight of the fact that farmers across the Murray-Darling Basin legally purchase and use water for productive purposes,’’ NSW Farmers president James Jackson said.
‘‘Cool heads and calm hearts must prevail before any politicians and others get too excited about adopting these recommendations.’’
