Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Good. Not wanting to be a smart alec but to assist the minister somewhat, if you go to schedule 1 of the water amendment legislation, in 86AD(2)(a)(i) and (ii) you will note that they already talk about 'improving the water efficiency of the infrastructure that uses basin water resources for irrigation' and 'improving the water efficiency of any other infrastructure that delivers, stores or drains basin water resources for the primary purpose of providing water for irrigation'. On that purpose, we had something of a similar nature to what you have set out in the section which we were inclined to support. The reason we were inclined to support it was that it was already in the act. However, by supporting that section, if we sat down and amended it that would have meant that the bill would bounce and go back to the lower house. From what we can gather from your section (2) compared with what is already there, we believe that, although we are philosophically on side, it would be an addition that replicates what is already there but the purpose of that addition would mean that the bill then goes back to the lower house, comes back here and is tied up. So, for the purpose of trying to work with the government to get this through, we thought that, even though item (2) warranted support, it did not warrant it to the extent that we would get an extension of the capacity of this bill beyond what is already there, but it would bring about this bill wandering off.