Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called for Victorian Premier John Brumby to stick to the facts on Murray-Darling water and not resort to public relations spin.

“South Australians, who have less water, will be appalled that professional public relations staff from the Victorian Premier’s office have been ‘spinning’ journalists in South Australia to ramp up support for Victoria’s North-South Pipeline,” she said.

“It’s a tactic which South Australians will see straight through.”

The Senate this week passed the Water Amendment Bill with numerous amendments from Greens, Coalition and Independent Senators, aimed at maximising the amount of water that can stay in the Murray-Darling system and maintain environmental flows to South Australia.

“South Australians are not suckers and won’t buy Labor’s spin on the absurd North-South pipeline. It is very clear that the idea is bad for SA, bad for Victoria and bad for the entire Basin,” she said.

Senator Hanson-Young said that communities around South Australia’s Lower Lakes and Coorong had good reason to not trust Labor on water.

“Labor voted against the $50 million relief package for these communities that all the other South Australian senators supported,” she said.

“The Greens recognise that the Lower Lakes and Coorong communities are hurting, especially without access to drought relief packages, and need help.

“We will continue to work to ensure the future of South Australia's water is properly managed and planned effectively, without the need to construct absurd projects such as the North-South Pipeline.”