Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Water Resources and Conservation) Share this | Hansard source

I move opposition amendment (3) on sheet 5640:

(3)    Schedule 2, page 318 (after line 32), after item 162, insert:

162C  At the end of Part 12

Add:

259  Structural adjustment package

        (1)    The Minister must, by legislative instrument, determine a scheme in the nature of a structural adjustment package to allocate appropriate funding to communities affected by the purchase by the Commonwealth of any privately-held water entitlements.

        (2)    A scheme determined under subsection (1) must provide for structural adjustment assistance to be allocated to communities to assist them to adjust to:

             (a)    reduced water availability;

             (b)    reduced economic activity associated with the closure of farming or other enterprises;

             (c)    changes in land use.

        (3)    In determining the amount of funding to be allocated to any community under the scheme, regard must be had to the Community Impact Statement in relation to the affected community published under section 258.

I am pleased to move this coalition amendment around structural adjustment for communities affected by the removal of water as a result of any purchase by the Commonwealth of privately held water entitlements. What we have seen from this government is a lack of focus on ensuring that where communities are going to have to adjust and where there is going to be change in the future as a result of removing water out of those communities—a reduction in water, reduced economic activity and changes in land use—there has to be recognition that those communities may well need structural assistance in some form or another and a structural adjustment package should be in place.

On this side of the chamber we want to see the government ensuring that that assistance is provided where it is necessary. We have not taken much of a level of comfort to date from the priority that the government has placed on structural adjustment packages and what is actually necessary for those communities. With this amendment we are placing within the bill itself a requirement that structural adjustment take place. Many in this chamber would know that when we were previously in government there was a very significant focus on the need to assist communities where necessary.

I know the department have indicated previously to senators their belief that structural adjustment is indeed captured through the current buyback process. We certainly believe that there is a need to take a more holistic approach towards structural adjustment. Assistance must be made available to those communities where necessary by the government.