Lindsay Tanner (Melbourne, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

we look forward to the shadow minister for energy and resources still being around; the rest of us might have some trouble—but also we will have provided the ACT government with certainty over its use of the dam, and Queanbeyan with certainty over its water supply.

We also intentionally drafted the document to ensure that, while the Commonwealth’s interests in the land are fully protected, the ACT government will be able to acquit its responsibilities without us constantly looking over its shoulder. In fact, what we aimed for was to allow the ACT government to get on and manage the dam on our behalf as set out in the Canberra Water Supply (Googong Dam) Act 1974, an act of this parliament.

There are several notable features of the lease apart from the length of its term. It provides the ACT government with security of tenure. The peppercorn rent will allow the ACT to proceed with planned upgrades at the dam and to implement infrastructure projects which will assure the territory’s water supply into the future, such as the Murrumbidgee to Googong pipeline. There are provisions for timely approvals to be given to the ACT’s plans for proposed developments connected with the dam. The lease also includes model contamination handling and dispute resolution procedures, aimed at avoiding litigation.

I did apply one additional condition on the lease. The negotiations provided the opportunity to rectify an omission over Queanbeyan’s water supply, which has not been legally assured to date under the Googong Dam act. What I said was that an agreement must first be signed between the Australian, New South Wales and ACT governments to guarantee Queanbeyan’s water supply from ACT sources, including Googong Dam. I made it clear to the ACT government that the lease could not come into effect until the Queanbeyan water supply agreement was signed.

In a significant breakthrough, the Chief Minister agreed, early in the negotiations, to guarantee to supply water to new housing developments proposed around Queanbeyan. This is an important step forward for the region’s economy and will allow significant new housing choices in the Queanbeyan area. The Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Bob Debus, has overseen the satisfactory conclusion of the Queanbeyan water supply agreement.

This lease and the supporting Queanbeyan water supply agreement are good examples of cooperative federalism. It is essential for the future of efficient government in this country that thorny issues like Googong Dam are raised and resolved. We also have to acknowledge that the quantity and quality of water is now a major issue for all governments in this country to address—and address quickly and purposefully.

The last round of lease negotiations required the resolution of many complex issues between the two governments. I acknowledge the contributions made by officials and legal advisers in bringing this matter to a conclusion. I wish the ACT government a successful and trouble-free tenancy at Googong Dam and extend my especial thanks to the Chief Minister for his patience, cooperation and sense of purpose throughout; to the member for Eden Monaro, Dr Mike Kelly; to the NSW state government; and to the Queanbeyan City Council for the goodwill and good sense that they brought to the final stages of the lease negotiations and the settling of the Queanbeyan water supply agreement.

In conclusion, we are pleased to have resolved these matters and 20 years of misunderstandings between the Australian government and the ACT government. Finalising the Googong Dam lease and the associated water agreement sets the scene for a good and cooperative working relationship between the ACT government and the federal government into the future.

I ask leave of the House to move a motion to enable the member for Goldstein to speak for eight minutes.

Leave granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent Mr Robb speaking for a period not exceeding eight minutes.

Question agreed to.

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