Bill Heffernan (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 30 November 2011:

The management of the Murray-Darling Basin, and the development and implementation of the Basin Plan, with particular reference to:

(a)

the implications for agriculture and food production and the environment;

(b)

the social and economic impacts of changes proposed in the Basin;

(c)

the impact on sustainable productivity and on the viability of the Basin;

(d)

the opportunities for a national reconfiguration of rural and regional Australia and its agricultural resources against the background of the Basin Plan and the science of the future;

(e)

the extent to which options for more efficient water use can be found and the implications of more efficient water use, mining and gas extraction on the aquifer and its contribution to run off and water flow;

(f)

the opportunities for producing more food by using less water with smarter farming and plant technology;

(g)

the national implications of foreign ownership, including:

(i)

corporate and sovereign takeover of agriculture land and water, and

(ii)

water speculators;

(h)

means to achieve sustainable diversion limits in a way that recognises production efficiency;

(i)

options for all water savings including use of alternative basins; and

(j)

any other related matters.

Notice of motion altered on 27 October 2010 pursuant to standing order 77.

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move an amendment to the motion.

Leave granted.

I move:

Add the following paragraph:

(j)

investigate any ambiguity in the Water Act 2007 which may prevent the delivery of a triple bottom line of economic, social and environmental outcomes; and

The amendment I have circulated is to investigate any ambiguities in the Water Act. I seek leave to make a brief statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the meetings that we are going to there is a sense that somehow the parliament has in a fashion deliberately and mischievously created an ambiguity. I think it is vitally important that we show the Australian people that in this parliament, in this Senate, we are trying to hide nothing. We have got no problems with anything being investigated. They wanted it explicitly stated and I gave an explicit commitment that I would do it. I think this is a good way to honour that commitment. The Labor Party believes there is no ambiguity in the act. I know the Australian Government Solicitor’s response said there is no ambiguity in the act. But I think it is extremely important that we show ourselves to be transparent and decisive in how we address this issue in this inquiry. Adding this section will do that.

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

I seek leave to make a short statement on the comments made by Senator Joyce.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

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

The Australian Greens were prepared to support Senator Heffernan’s motion, but we will not be able to support it if the amendment from Senator Joyce is accepted.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question therefore is that the amendment moved by Senator Joyce be agreed to.

Question put.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—Mr President, it appears the numbers in the chamber have not actually reflected the result of the vote. We have not ascertained from our side what the circumstances are.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are unable to hear what is being said up here.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have sought and obtained leave to make a short statement. It appears that the last vote did not reflect the numbers in the chamber. We are going to find out exactly what has happened. I am asking for that vote to be recommitted at a later hour. Because it is an amendment to a substantive motion, I would then ask that that substantive motion be held over to that time. I understand that we generally have broad agreement within the Senate that that is permissible. I do apologise that we have not been able, in the short space of time, to ascertain the exact nature of the problem. Given that the opposition, with the support of the Greens and with the support of Senator Xenophon, would normally negative the vote, I can reasonably surmise there is a problem with the counting.

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—Obviously someone from the Labor Party has failed to turn up to a division and they have refused to name who the person is. This was a vitally important motion. It dealt with removing an ambiguity that is so rife out there in regional Australia. They believe that there is a sense of ambiguity in the act and that there are some sorts of tricks or games being played, and this was a vitally important motion that dealt with it. What the Labor Party have done right now is to shine a light on their statements in one area and their actions in another. It shines a light on the statements that they would stand by the position of the Australian Government Solicitor, they would stand by the ministerial statement, they would rely on a triple bottom line and they would remove ambiguity, yet they cannot even get their people to turn up to the chamber to vote. In this new paradigm what we now see is the Labor Party not only not wanting to remove the ambiguity but not even having the discipline to turn up to vote.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ludwig, I will deal with the motion by leave if you are prepared to seek the leave to defer this matter.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That further consideration of the matter be adjourned till a later hour.

Question agreed to.