Bob Katter (Kennedy, Katter's Australian Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the PM. For 200—probably 20,000—years, drought has scourged our land. Would not the super-reliable streams north of the Tennant Creek-Isa-Mackay line provide 20 Hughendens? Your Hughenden HIPCo irrigation grazing model is the only answer to drought, growing grass. Wouldn't this make you the modern-day Moses? But may not the 'evil tyrant' process turn Albanese into Tutankhamun?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Kennedy for his question. He must have been sitting in the back stalls of my church on Sunday, because the pastor was actually talking about Moses on the weekend. So, you may have been there, in the back stalls. You're welcome any time, as any members are. I want to thank the member for Kennedy for this question, and I want to thank him for his strong advocacy of the Hughenden Irrigation Scheme. Together we have worked to ensure that we've committed $180 million from the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund to build the Hughenden Irrigation Scheme. So far we know that it could capture and manage up to 500,000 megalitres of water, and this will grow primary production in the region significantly and ensure the best possible management of what you rightly describe as the scarce water resource.

Most recently, I met with the Queensland premier on this, on 12 July. In that meeting there was strong support indicated, but I am concerned that other messages are being communicated by the Queensland government to the proponents of that project, and I'll be seeking clarity from the Queensland government as to whether they share our commitment to this project to see that it proceeds. We have already provided $2 million from the Community Development Grants Program for the feasibility study; $900 in funding has already been provided to the Hughenden Irrigation Project—or HIPCo, as it's known—to conduct that work. It's currently on track to deliver their second major project milestone by early August, with the final milestone due to be completed by early 2020.

Now, I know that the member, like me, is frustrated by the time taken to get a lot of this done, and I want to assure him that our government remains as committed to this project as when we first discussed it and to breaking through the bureaucracy and the delays that have too long delayed these important projects. It's part of a broader set of work that we are doing to build water infrastructure in this country. And I remind the House what that includes, which I'm sure the Deputy Prime Minister would also. There's $150 million worth of construction already underway on the North Adelaide Irrigation Scheme in South Australia. There's $80 million underway in the South West Loddon Pipeline in Victoria. There is $60 million in the Macalister Irrigation District modernisation in Victoria. There is also money going into the Sunraysia Modernisation Project phase 2 in Victoria. There's $51 million in the Scottsdale Irrigation Scheme in Tasmania. There's $28 million in the Mareeba-Dimbulah Water Supply Scheme in Northern Queensland and $12 million in the Nogoa-Mackenzie Water Supply Scheme in Northern Queensland. There's $352 million going into the Rookwood Weir in Queensland, and the preliminary work on that has commenced, and $396 million going to the Myalup-Wellington project in Western Australia. We're very serious about pursuing these programs. They're happening now, and our government is committed to the National Water Grid and delivering the water infrastructure that Australia needs. (Time expired)

Damian Drum (Nicholls, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development. Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on how the government is working to secure Australia's water future by continuing to invest in water infrastructure and establishing the National Water Grid?

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Nicholls for his question. It's all about water in question time today, as it should be because water is our most pressure resource. The Liberals and Nationals know that the key to unlocking the potential of our regions is 'add water'—add water, store it when it falls and use it when it is dry. That is why we are establishing the National Water Grid, a new authority to take a visionary approach to water security right across this nation. It's time to take out of the debate the petty politics, the obfuscation, the delay, the bureaucracy and the parochialism and get on with building water infrastructure. That's what we're doing, as we just heard from the Prime Minister. We're getting on with building the water infrastructure that we need, that we want and, most of all, that we deserve. As I've said before, national leadership is needed, and that's what we're delivering.

Transformational change is required. The National Water Grid will bring together the best science and scientists, the best people and particularly local stakeholder engagement—we want that local input—to provide strategic advice on planning, on project management and on delivery for water infrastructure and water security, like dams. We've already done much in this regard. We just heard the Prime Minister outline a number of projects—not an exhaustive list by any means. There is even more than what the Prime Minister said. We have been busy re-plumbing and helping to further drought proof the regions. That's what is needed.

On 11 April $14.5 million was announced for the Mitiamo water supply protect, which is in the member for Nicholls's electorate as well as the member for Mallee's electorate—and the member for Mallee will give a great inaugural speech in this place very soon during this sitting period. As the members for Nicholls and Mallee would know, that $14.5 million will open up an additional 80,000 hectares of irrigated agriculture and farmland potential—unlocking the potential of those great Victorian regions. It's going to benefit, to boost, about 200 farms south-west of Echuca and north of Bendigo. They know how significant that is. It is an incredible investment by this government. It is going to be a good investment. It is going to unlock the potential of that region. But don't just take my word for it; let's hear what Mitiamo Pipeline Committee Chair Neil Allen said. He said:

It means we will have clean, fresh water, 24 hours a day; we'll no longer have to rely on channel filled dams.

Mr Allen knows full well the benefits to the farmers for stock and domestic purposes. This is fantastic news.

I know that the member for Maranoa, the Minister for Water Resources, wants us to get on with the Emu Swamp Dam near Stanthorpe, in the Granite Belt. That's a significant project. I hope the Queensland government gets on board with that. The irrigators there have put $23.4 million down. We've put $42 million down. We want that project off the ground. (Time expired)