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

And can I make clear, on this claim that there is an inconsistency between this amendment and the report that has come out today from the Windsor committee, that they can only draw that conclusion if they did not listen to a word I just said right here two minutes ago, because the recommendation was to not go along with what the Senate was saying—that it was an automatic guaranteed 450-gigalitre compulsory acquisition or however you got it if you did not get enough people participating. Instead of going down that path, consistent with the recommendations of that inquiry today, we have gone down a path to make sure that there is a clear line of sight. I have to say that I have every confidence that future parliaments, if there is not enough money there, will make sure in future budgets that it is put in place. There was never a legislative guarantee for the money that Prime Minister Howard put in place, but the money, when it has not been spent, has continued to be rephased and has continued to be made available.

If people do not want there to be a clear line of site for future parliaments, then argue against the amendment for that reason. But do not invent something that is designed only to put fear throughout Basin communities when we are actually delivering something where we have not compromised on the environmental ambition of the reform but are making sure we are acquiring the water in the exact ways that every one of those community meetings asked us to implement. They all asked for this path, that is the path we are choosing, and if people want to take issue with the plan by all means they can oppose the reform but, please, the misrepresentation in communities should not continue.

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