Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That further consideration of the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Bill 2023 be made an order of the day for the next day of sitting after the Chair of the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council notifies the President in writing that the Council has, by unanimous resolution, approved the legislation.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Andrew McLachlan (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The successful implementation of the Basin Plan is dependent on the cooperation of basin state jurisdictions. The water minister announced this amendment with great fanfare saying that the minister had all states on board except Victoria. We have also been advised that the ministerial council has not met since February 2023, long before this legislation was drafted. We believe the ministerial council should be fully consulted on such a significant reform that has implications for every jurisdiction.

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

I seek leave to make short statement.

Andrew McLachlan (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted.

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

While the Greens have some sympathies for Senator Roberts' motion today, we're not going to support it because we know that the job of getting the Murray-Darling Basin Plan back on track won't be done if we leave it to the states. It is the states that have held this up, dragged the chain and gamed the delivery of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. It is time that the Commonwealth government did this job and got the water that the environment deserves and was promised.

Andrew McLachlan (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question before the Senate is that the motion moved by Senator Roberts be agreed to.