Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I also rise today to speak on this matter of urgency submitted by our parliamentary colleague from the Northern Territory, Senator McCarthy. Senator McCarthy would like this chamber to consider the need to establish an independent national judicial inquiry through the Council of Australian Governments following allegations of theft and corruption in the management of water resources in the Barwon-Darling Basin. While I applaud Senator McCarthy for bringing this matter to the attention of the chamber, the idea that a judicial inquiry is necessary to investigate and prosecute breaches of state law is entirely inappropriate.

The debate in this chamber is very, very important, and it gives me great pleasure to speak on this matter, as the proper and prudent management of precious water resources is not just a matter for South Australian senators, but it is also very dear to the hearts of my own constituents, particularly those in rural Victoria. And I agree wholeheartedly that the misuse and mismanagement of common water resources cannot be allowed to continue. That is why the Deputy Prime Minister, and Assistant Minister Ruston, have jointly announced that the Murray-Darling Basin Authority will conduct an independent basin-wide review into the compliance with state-based regulations governing water use.

But, far more importantly, the state of New South Wales is taking great steps to respond to and investigate the allegations levelled in a recent Four Corners report. The New South Wales government has launched an independent investigation into the allegations made on Four Corners, led by Ken Matthews AO, a highly respected man of great integrity and, in addition to that, the matter has also been referred to the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption, the ICAC. These state-level actions are entirely appropriate, given that the allegations raised in the Four Corners report relate to breaches of New South Wales state law. Now, I'm not in a position to explain to Senator McCarthy the nature of the Australian Constitution, but I am indeed surprised that the Labor Party can't see this very clearly for the state matter that it is.

There is no denying that issues of water theft and corruption in the management of the basin resources are extraordinarily serious, and, quite clearly, irrigators in every relevant state and basin communities must be able to have confidence that the rules that govern water use in the Murray-Darling Basin are being followed to the letter. It is for this reason that I am in fact encouraged by the dual actions taken by the New South Wales state government, and I commend the New South Wales state government for their expedient action on this matter.

Calls for a judicial review or a royal commission are quite another issue. Quite frankly, even though I have great respect for Senator McCarthy I am disappointed that she has reached back into that old Labor toolbox of calling for an expensive and unnecessary royal commission or judicial inquiry. A judicial review is an independent legal process that could take up to 12 months, cost millions of dollars and require the cooperation of the New South Wales government and potentially other basin states. It isn't necessary; it isn't expedient; it isn't constitutionally appropriate—and it is an unconscionable waste of taxpayer money.

Water is understandably an emotional issue for many Australians, not least of whom are the basin communities that owe so much of their prosperity to the shared water resources. Water theft is unconscionable. I thank Senator McCarthy for raising this important issue in the chamber, but we must resist the call from those opposite for a costly, unnecessary inquiry into this matter. (Time expired)