Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The purpose of the Water Amendment Bill 2008 is to amend the Water Act 2007 and to give effect to the Murray-Darling Basin reform intergovernmental agreement signed by the Prime Minister and the first ministers of each basin state, being New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory. This was done at the July meeting of the Council of Australian Governments.

It is about demonstrating the Rudd government’s commitment to a reform process that goes right across the whole of government in a whole range of areas—particularly in the way that we deal with the states, and in the way that we use the COAG process to create efficiencies and better policy to work as one country, trying to achieve an outcome that may be based in one region but often affects people right across other states and jurisdictions. It is particularly important to note in this debate the partnership that the Commonwealth has entered into with the states and the effort that our minister is putting towards working with each of the ministers in the states to ensure that a strong process is in place, that an effective policy is maintained and that we get the outcomes that are needed at a national level in what is a very stressed water basin. This is a very vexed issue right across the community.

On that particular issue, there have always been many great debates in this place broadly on the issue of water. But I think there have been no more heated debates than on the Murray-Darling Basin and what that means to our national identity, to farmers, to our culture, to tourism and to those regions that are affected and the people who live and survive around the water that is provided by that particular basin. It is fair to say that the previous government, now in opposition, will come into this place and will argue, oppose, hinder and put in place all forms of barriers to stymie any good work that this government is doing in terms of this particular water issue. The opposition is particularly annoyed at the way we might be using the COAG process properly to ensure that we actually get some outcomes and results in this particular area. The matter of the fact remains: the previous government had—

See this speech in context