Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That the Senate take note of the statement.

Whilst I welcome the commitment, so far as it goes, from the minister to make information available to the Senate inquiry, it is extremely regrettable that the minister has chosen to reject the very clear and unambiguous order made by this Senate for her to produce the urgent advice that she referred to on 18 June this year. South Australians in particular have grave concerns about the very short-term and immediate future of the Murray-Darling Basin, and those concerns are based on the fact that very immediate action is required. The minister came in here today and indicated that she would give some information to the committee which was established last week and the establishment of which she did everything possible to oppose, going so far as to try to put her alternative terms of reference on the table.