Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senators Bernardi, Gichuhi, Hanson-Young and Xenophon, move:

(1) That the Senate—

(a) affirms its support for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan;

(b) expresses deep concerns about allegations of theft and corruption in management of water resources in the Barwon-Darling Basin raised by the Four Corners report on 24 July 2017;

(c) notes the matter has been referred to the Australian National Audit Office and New South Wales authorities for investigation;

(d) considers a state-based inquiry into allegations, revealed in the report, to be insufficient and that the only way to ensure confidence in states' commitment to achieve the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is through a national investigation;

(e) calls for the establishment of an independent national judicial inquiry through the Council of Australian Governments; and

(f) calls on all governments to commit to achieving a healthy, sustainable Murray-Darling Basin which supports the future prosperity of the communities which rely upon it.

(2) This resolution be communicated to the House of Representatives for concurrence.

I seek leave to make a statement of no more than one minute.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is very unusual for a motion to be supported by the Labor Party and Senators Bernardi, Gichuhi, Hanson-Young and Xenophon, but this cross-party group of South Australian senators are coming together to demand a real inquiry into the Murray-Darling Basin. It is utterly clear that this government, under this Prime Minister, is not working to deliver the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in full. It is utterly clear, yet again, that the Deputy Prime Minister does not have the best interests of the basin at heart, as evidenced by his statements in the Shepparton pub that Senator Bernardi and others have spoken about, and it is clear that this Prime Minister, to date, has not been willing to do the right thing and make Mr Joyce do the right thing. I thank the Greens and Senators Bernardi, Gichuhi and Xenophon for their support.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government does not support this motion. Four separate inquiries are already underway to investigate the serious allegations made by Four Corners: the basin-wide review of compliance; the NSW independent investigation into specific allegations; the Australian National Audit Office audit into arrangements to implement water reform; and the referral of allegations to the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, a body with the powers of a royal commission. A national judicial inquiry is unnecessary, expensive, would deliver no more than the four inquiries underway and will hold up the delivery of the plan for no identifiable benefit. The government remains committed to the delivery of the plan in full.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think it's a very important and unique show of voices from South Australian senators here today that we are all standing up for the health of the Murray-Darling Basin. We at the bottom end of the river system know how hard it is to keep upstream states in line when it comes to sharing water fairly. To hear that some people—some rich, greedy, corporate irrigators—with a wink and a nod from the NSW government, are now stealing water from the river, is something that must be investigated. No-one has any faith in the Murray-Darling Basin Authority or NSW government investigating themselves. The reason we need a judicial inquiry is that the NSW government cannot be trusted and neither can Barnaby Joyce.

Nick Xenophon (SA, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Nick Xenophon (SA, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Nothing short of a judicial inquiry will deal with the serious allegations that we've been presented with. None of the inquiries Senator McGrath has referred to will have the weight, gravitas or powers of inquiry to compel or protect witnesses, particularly whistleblowers, and the only way we can resolve this is through a judicial inquiry.

Cory Bernardi (SA, Australian Conservatives) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a very, very brief statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Cory Bernardi (SA, Australian Conservatives) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to put on the record that, after Senator Hanson-Young's contribution, I feel rather dirty. But this is still a very, very important thing to do, and so I would ask the Senate to support it.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Wong be agreed to.