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

by leave—I move Greens amendments (18) to (20) on sheet 5629 together:

(18)  Schedule 2, page 306 (after line 1), after item 97, insert:

97D  Before paragraph 172(1)(a)

Insert:

           (aa)    to pursue and, where appropriate, encourage other agencies to pursue the objects of the Act as set out in section 3;

(19)  Schedule 2, page 306 (after line 1), after item 97, insert:

97E  Paragraph 172(1)(b)

After “quantity”, insert “and the threat to the long term health”.

(20)  Schedule 2, page 306 (after line 19), after item 100, insert:

100A  At the end of paragraph 172(1)(h)

Add “with specific attention to river, wetland and estuary health”.

Last night, we had some discussion about the authority to ensure responsibility for river health. These amendments are designed specifically to ensure that the authority clearly functions for pursuing the objects of the acts. This issue was raised again during the committee inquiry a couple of weeks ago. It was pointed out that it would be preferable that we clearly amend the act to make sure that the authority’s functions are to pursue the objects of the act.

Amendment (18) specifically deals with inserting a clause that says, ‘to pursue and, where appropriate, encourage other agencies to pursue the objects of the act’. That would be made one of the authority’s functions so that the authority encourages other agencies to pursue the objects of the act as well. It makes river health the explicit responsibility of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. There are also threats to long-term health, and that is an explicit responsibility. That is amendment (19). Amendment (20) is also about explicit responsibility for river health and adds the words, ‘with specific attention to river, wetland and estuary health’. Those amendments are about ensuring that the authority is very clear that part of its responsibilities is to ensure the health of the river system.