Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The Greens wanted the water bills referred to a different committee, although we are happy they are going to the Senate Standing Committee on Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. But we do believe that the committee should be reporting on 10 September. This legislation contains fundamental, major changes to the way land and water are managed in Australia. There are a number of organisations that will want to review the legislation. At our first look at the bills, the Greens found some good areas in the legislation, but we do have some concerns, particularly about some of the environmental clauses, how the environment is going to be managed and whether it is going to be environmentally sustainable.

We need much more time to be able to consider this legislation. The community groups do too. I am particularly concerned that Indigenous organisations are not going to have time to look at this legislation properly. I have already had an Indigenous organisation contact my office to raise concerns with me about the bills and the lack of inclusion of traditional rights and Indigenous involvement in the management of the river. It is highly unlikely that organisations will be able to get a submission in by tomorrow, much less appear tomorrow before the committee, because the committee is meeting tomorrow. Organisations are being contacted now to come to Canberra tomorrow. If you are not based in Canberra or very close to Canberra, you will not be able to appear before the committee. You may be able to be on a phone link-up, but that is not as good as being able to appear before the committee and being able to listen to the evidence from the other people appearing.

This is significant, long-term change to Australia’s biggest river system and to our largest agricultural producing system. It has some of our most important wetlands and our most important rivers. It is absolutely vital that everybody has an opportunity to adequately review this legislation. Again, as happened yesterday on the Northern Territory legislation, I do not think any senator will be able to stand with their hand on their heart and say that they absolutely understand all the ramifications of the bills—there are two bills in this package of legislation. In the past, I have raised concerns about how this particular bill and water management interrelate with the natural resource management in the catchment. To date, I have not been given satisfactory answers. Unfortunately, in the limited time frame that is available for consideration of these bills, I do not think that those answers will be available.

There is a vast variety of stakeholders and issues involved here, covering an area from Queensland right through to South Australia. How, for example, are South Australian urban water users going to be able to get hold of this legislation, adequately review it and put in a submission by tomorrow? I see no reason why, other than the government’s desire to rush this through this place, we could not hold an inquiry during the September break. I think that would allow a much more thorough process. It would be much fairer for the community and it would certainly be much fairer for the senators considering this legislation. It would enable us to consider all the information that is available.

As I said, it seems like there are some very good bits in this legislation, but there are also very significant problems that need to be adequately considered. The Greens do not support the motion moved by the government to have this committee report by Tuesday. We believe it should be reporting on 10 September to allow adequate time to fully consider the ramifications of this legislation and the very significant changes it makes to the way we manage our water and natural resources. This is probably the last time that we will be able to put in place adequate management regimes for the Murray before it dies. If we do not get it right this time, it will basically be gone. And bear this in mind: if the environment of the Murray is gone, agriculture in the whole of the Murray-Darling Basin will be permanently changed. So we have to get it right. You would think the government would allow adequate time for us to get it right this one last time, because this is our last chance to get it right.