Dio Wang (WA, Palmer United Party) Share this | Hansard source

I visited the Liverpool Plains last week in the company of the former member for New England, Mr Tony Windsor. As everyone in this chamber probably knows, when he was in the parliament Mr Tony Windsor played a very crucial role in making sure the water trigger was built into the EPBC Act. I think, when it comes to water resources, we have to be really, really careful. We cannot really hand it over to a state, because underground water flows. The Queensland government, for example, may approve a project which may or may not have an impact on underground water, but, when the water flows to New South Wales, it could be a different issue. If the water is actually contaminated, some of the farmers will cop it in New South Wales. So I think a federal level approval is a crucial safeguard to make sure that our precious water resources are well looked after.

Question agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

Bill reported with amendment; report adopted.