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

I thank the minister for her comments. Obviously, we are extremely disappointed that the government does not think it can go as far as accepting the recognition of Indigenous water rights in the Water Act. We think this is a particularly important issue. Aboriginal people have been disconnected from the management of the Murray-Darling Basin over the last 200 years, and these amendments seek to re-establish and give a legislative base to Indigenous water rights. We think this is particularly important, so we are disappointed that the government and the opposition cannot support these amendments.

Question negatived.

Before I move clauses 10 and 11 of Greens amendment (1), I would like to explain the amendments we will be making to them. Clause 10 refers to the Basin Community Committee and the subcommittees that exist under the Basin Community Committee. It seeks to establish an Indigenous water subcommittee. Our amended clause will read: ‘an Indigenous water subcommittee to guide the consideration of matters relevant to the basin’s water resources’.