Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

Senator, with respect it was not a duck; it was a recognition that we have been in the chamber for hours. I think even the opposition would agree that I gave a quite detailed response to those questions on the last occasion. I was pointing out that we do not believe the amendments that were originally moved by you and supported then by the opposition were necessary, because the effect of interception activities could be dealt with through the Basin Plan in the circumstances I outlined, and the basin authority obviously has the independent authority to enable that to occur if it sees fit.

I also gave you information that the National Water Commission was funding a project to develop tools and guidelines for the assessment of groundwater mining. My recollection is that involves in the order of $2 million. I also recollect that the Liverpool plains is one of the case studies that is being looked at. Senator Brown, I am not going to—and, in terms of appropriate decision making in government, I hope you would not expect me to—make a decision on funding a project on the basis of a senator asking me a question about it across the chamber. What I will say is that these are issues that do require attention. The act enables them to be given attention for the reasons I outlined. We also need to do more work to enable better assessments within states about the impacts on groundwater of mining. So that is the purpose of the project that I funded.

I appreciate Senator Brown’s views on this. We have been consistent about the approach we think ought to be taken in relation to this issue. We were consistent when this previously came up. We retain the same position.