Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Hansard source

I completely understand the intent of the member for Indi in moving this amendment and in flagging the importance of effective community consultation and other landholder consultation on the constraints relaxation program. I absolutely understand and agree with the intent. However, the government won't be supporting this amendment, because we believe that the measures that we've already taken to ensure that consultation will do the job that the member for Indi has identified. The constraints relaxation program is absolutely critical to making sure that, when we recover water for environmental purposes, that water makes it safely into the areas that require it, including into the flood plains that require that watering.

The bill already requires the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to undertake consultation for the constraints relaxation implementation road map, both during the development of that road map and at any time that it's amended. In addition to the requirements in the bill, state governments, which are responsible for implementing these programs, must also undertake stakeholder consultation through the existing federation funding agreements, including community engagement and negotiation frameworks and plans. I also want to reassure the member for Indi that, as part of the constraints relaxation implementation road map, a new independent constraints facilitator will make sure that we do much better community and landholder consultation when it comes to constraints relaxation.

Question negatived.

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