Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The grandstanding on this issue has been herculean. The very people who killed river communities by going through industrial-size buybacks are the people that now want to lecture us about the health of river communities. Buybacks kill communities, and you know it.

What I will say is this. There's something I haven't said before, but I'll say it here. I don't often come to these things, but I'll concede that I, and indeed this nation, are the beneficiaries of the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement that the member for Watson negotiated, and he deserves credit for it.

Like so many in the nation, I was appalled at the very serious allegations of theft and corruption in New South Wales raised by the program. But my background was in the criminal law, and an allegation is just that: an allegation. I'm adamant that these allegations must be fully investigated and resolved as quickly as possible, to the satisfaction of all stakeholders. But what we haven't heard in here yet is that there are currently four investigations and inquiries underway. The first is the New South Wales independent review led by Ken Matthews, announced on 26 July. I trust those opposite aren't casting any aspersions on Ken Matthews. The second is the Murray-Darling Basin Authority's review of compliance with the state-based regulations governing water use, announced by the Prime Minister on 30 July. The third is the Australian National Audit Office review into the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources' efforts in monitoring water use in New South Wales. And the fourth is referral to the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption, ICAC. The last of those has powers similar to a standing royal commission. We have seen premiers resign and former ministers jailed as a result of ICAC's activities. Nevertheless, should all these investigations failed to satisfactorily resolve the allegations, I'll be on the front line calling for more action.

Before I get off the topic about ICAC, as I'm from South Australia could I just point out that the New South Wales ICAC isn't like Jay Weatherill's version of an ICAC, where the investigations and the hearings are held in secret. The New South Wales ICAC will be an open and transparent process, and I congratulate it for that.

Ms Rishworth interjecting—

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