Perin Davey (NSW, National Party, Shadow Minister for Water) Share this | Hansard source

It was a long two days—thank you, Senator Hanson-Young. I acknowledge the participation of all members. It was conducted respectfully. But what we absolutely heard through those hearings and what we saw in the evidence and the many submissions that were put forward is that there is very little support for this bill in its unamended form. Sixty-one per cent of all submissions put to the committee did not support the bill, 56 per cent did not support water buybacks and 68 per cent sought social and economic impact assessments to be undertaken and to be tied in. So, yes, the committee is right. This bill needs to be amended.