The responsibility for making these decisions rests firmly with the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and the federal Labor government. And, with so many Premiers along the Murray-Darling on the same side of politics, there has never been a better opportunity to solve the crisis not only in the short term, but also for generations to come.

The allocation of $610million to undertake priority projects in South Australia will only lead to short-term gains and the success of these will still depend on tough decisions being made upstream in the eastern states to allow more water to flow into our state. The construction of pipelines, as proposed, won't happen overnight, so there will still be more pain to come unless the Heavens open up and dump flooding rains into the catchment areas.

Mr Rudd's visit to the Lower Lakes at the weekend could be likened to the past visits by Prime Ministers to disaster areas where fires, floods and cyclones have hit. These visits have served to really enlighten our country's leaders to the plight of those residents of the disaster areas. Mr Rudd could not help but be moved by the sight of the receding waters of Lake Alexandrina, the pleas from local residents for action and even the chance to hold one of the many long-necked tortoises that are struggling for survival in the increasingly saline waters. He must show his human side, fortitude and leadership to act to force the hand of the eastern states to release more water.

The Prime Minister purports to be a champion of climate change and, unfortunately, used the visit as ammunition for this agenda. However, he must acknowledge that there have been serious droughts before in this and the eastern states, but never before has the impact been so great on the lower reaches of the Murray. It isn't climate change that has caused the disaster of the River Murray, it is mismanagement and waste, and it is time those who have reaped the benefits of this to be prepared to give something back to the waterway that has provided their lifeline and profits for many years. This is not a wholly natural disaster.

COAG's reaffirming of a national approach to the future of the River Murray should empower the federal Labor government to make the hard decisions, and make them now. Although the decision is not a simple one, particularly in a political environment where the recent by-election in Victoria has shown a swing against the ALP, Mr Rudd and his government should weigh up being remembered for allowing the River Murray to die or showing leadership and making the tough decisions to ensure its survival. A dead River Murray in the future would not be a good legacy for the government, but it would be a lasting one.