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

) ( ): I present a supplementary explanatory memorandum to the bill and seek leave to move government amendments (1) to (4) on sheet BN252 as circulated together.

Leave granted.

I move government amendments (1) to (4) on sheet BN252:

(1) Schedule 1, item 10, page 6 (line 11), at the end of subsection 23A(2), add:

; and (d) a requirement for the Authority not to propose an adjustment under paragraph (1)(a) or (b) without:

(i) inviting members of the public to make submissions to the Authority on the proposed adjustment; and

(ii) providing a reasonable amount of time for those submissions to be made and considered by the Authority.

(2) Schedule 1, item 10, page 6 (line 20), omit "is adopted", substitute "may be adopted".

(3) Schedule 1, item 10, page 9 (lines 12 to 18), omit subsection 23B(6), substitute:

(6) As soon as practicable after receiving the amendment, the Minister must:

  (a) consider the amendment; and

  (b) either:

     (i) adopt, in writing, the amendment; or

     (ii) give the Authority notice, in writing, that the Minister has decided not to adopt the amendment.

  Note: If a long term average sustainable diversion limit for the water resources of a particular water resource plan area (or a particular part of those water resources) is amended, the long term annual diversion limit for those water resources is also amended (see table item 7 of the table in subsection 22(1)).

(4) Schedule 1, item 13, page 9 (lines 28 to 32), omit the item.

I had an opportunity in my summing up to explain the reasons for these amendments. I do not propose to add to it.

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