Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities) Share this | Hansard source

I am very glad we allowed the pause. While the interjection might have been long, the point is really well taken. Because if something is not connected then you do not have a risk to underground water. But we do not want to undo all the conversations that are happening about water reform by finding that there is more water in rivers and we are just sucking the water back out through the system by depleting aquifers that are in fact connected. No-one wants that. The best possible scientific information is the best guard against that.

We have had good responses from a number of the state governments. I am disappointed that at this point the WA government is still saying, 'Absolutely no way'. But I am pleased to hear a number of members of the same party in the same state as the WA government—a number of members from the other side—who have spoken strongly in support of this. I hope they take that message to the WA government. No-one should be afraid of getting the best quality information—no-one.

I am also advised there was a contribution by the member for Groom, where he got stuck into decisions that I had made in a project in Queensland.

Mr Ian Macfarlane interjecting—

I did not hear a word of it, but I have been advised to feel very hurt by what he said. So I would simply refer him to a letter to the editor that was published in the Financial Review yesterday where I dealt with similar allegations which had a similar level of accuracy to the ones that were made by the member for Groom. But I am sure the mistakes were entirely well meaning.

Can I commend the bill to the House. Effectively, as a result of what is in front of us today, there will be a much better quality of base level information, a much better quality of information dealing with underground water and the right set of experts across the full range that we would want to see of expertise. It will be well funded. It means future decisions will be well informed as a result of the decisions taken in the parliament this day.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

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