Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senators Bob Brown, Siewert, Xenophon, Birmingham and Fisher, move:

(1)

That the following matters be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report no later than 30 September 2008:

(a)

the volume of water which could be provided into the Murray-Darling system to replenish the Lower Lakes and Coorong;

(b)

options for sourcing and delivering this water, including:

(i)

possible incentive and compensation schemes for current water holders who participate in a once-off voluntary contribution of water to this national emergency,

(ii)

alternative options for the acquisition of sufficient water,

(iii)

likely transmission losses and the most efficient and effective strategies to manage the delivery of this water,

(iv)

Commonwealth powers to obtain and deliver water and possible legislative or regulative impediments, and

(v)

assessment of the potential contribution of bringing forward irrigation infrastructure spending under the Council of Australian Governments agreement to deliver water to save the Coorong and lower lakes;

(c)

the impact of any water buybacks on rural and regional communities and Adelaide including compensation and structural adjustment; and

(d)

any other related matters.

(2)

That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report no later than 4 December 2008:

The implications for the long-term sustainable management of the Murray Darling Basin system, with particular reference to:

(a)

the adequacy of current whole-of-basin governance arrangements under the Intergovernmental Agreement;

(b)

the adequacy of current arrangements in relation to the implementation of the Basin Plan and water sharing arrangements;

(c)

long-term prospects for the management of Ramsar wetlands including the supply of adequate environmental flows;

(d)

the risks to the basin posed by unregulated water interception activities and water theft;

(e)

the ability of the Commonwealth to bind state and territory governments to meet their obligations under the National Water Initiative;

(f)

the adequacy of existing state and territory water and natural resource management legislation and enforcement arrangements; and

(g)

the impacts of climate change on the likely future availability of water.

Question agreed to.