Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

Labor does not support the creation of this select committee. The Murray-Darling Basin Plan is a historic agreement that represents a significant step forward in the management of our most important river system. This Basin Plan enjoys bipartisan support. As the government often says, it is committed to achieving the plan in full and on time. Further, review of the Basin Plan will do nothing but increase uncertainty. A House committee inquiry was undertaken which reported in 2011. The Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee undertook an inquiry into the management of the basin, reporting in 2013. The Senate Environment and Communications Committee undertook various inquiries into elements of the management of the basin in the previous parliament. Most recently, the National Water Commission (Abolition) Bill was investigated by Senate committee and, as a result of that bill, now passed, the Productivity Commission will be undertaking five-yearly audits of implementation of the Basin Plan. In addition to this, an annual report on the Basin Plan is produced by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. There is no need for this inquiry or this select committee, and Labor will not support it. (Time expired)