Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I note the Greens' opposition to these amendments and I stand with all coalition senators in wishing that the precautionary principle also applied to people in this case. I am very proud that we are choosing to make this legislation better for the people within the Murray-Darling Basin and their industries.

Our first principle as legislators and those holding legislators to account should be to do no harm. If you drive through Shepparton in northern Victoria, where there are 200 closed shops and where the local economy is underpinned by irrigated agriculture and food manufacturing, you will know the impact that the non-strategic buybacks have had on our local and regional economies. These are real people in real jobs delivering food and fibre not just to our nation but also to the world. Our amendments go to ensuring that, as parliamentarians, any legislation going through here ensures that it is not the environment over social and economic principles but that we can achieve a triple bottom line.

People involved in this debate have been made aware of the very real impact that non-strategic buybacks have had, and the impact of the lack of certainty out there in our communities at a local level, so our amendments go some way to addressing that lack of certainty. I recommend our amendments to the chamber.

The CHAIRMAN: The question is that the amendments moved by Senator Joyce, (1) and (2) on sheet 7336, be agreed to.

The CHAIRMAN: Senator Xenophon, do you wish by leave to move your amendments together?