John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to incorporate in the Hansard an answer to a supplementary question that was asked of me yesterday by Senator Hanson-Young about the issue of a risk assessment in relation to the Lower Lakes region in South Australia.

Leave granted.

The answer read as follows—

Lower Lakes Risk Assessment for Seawater Option

Yesterday Senator Hanson Young asked a supplementary question concerning the potential impacts of introducing seawater into the Lower Lakes on the groundwater resources of the region, and on longer-term salinity levels within the Lakes.

Senator Hanson Young asked specifically whether the Minister for Water, Senator Wong, will commission a risk assessment on these issues.

To date, preliminary work has been undertaken by the Murray Darling Basin Commission to identify short term management options for the Lower Lakes, and to scope-out some of the potential impacts of these options. This work will inform more detailed consideration by the South Australian Government.

As the Prime Minister indicated previously, Cabinet confirmed that if the South Australian Government, based on the advice of experts, finds that it has become absolutely necessary to open the Lakes to sea water, the Commonwealth will consider any such proposals.

Should the South Australian Government consider that introducing seawater may be necessary, it would be responsible for assessing the potential social, economic and environmental impacts, and for ensuring that the requirements of the Environmental Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999) are met.

I would anticipate that the South Australian Government would use the best science available to inform this work. The knowledge and expertise of the Commonwealth Government, and of the Murray Darling Basin Commission, will of course be made available to assist South Australia in this work.

As you know, the Australian Government has committed up to $200 million towards a lasting solution to the environmental problems in the Lower Lakes and Coorong, with $10 million immediately available to accelerate feasibility work.