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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 10 Hansard (25 September) . . Page.. 3444 ..

For these reasons the Government became party to the Council of Australian Governments' water reforms in April 1995. Amongst other things, the reforms require the implementation of comprehensive water allocation and licensing arrangements and the formal provision of environmental flows. Adequate progress in these reforms is also a condition for receipt of Competition Payments from the Commonwealth.

The Water Resources Bill, Mr Speaker, will provide the capacity for the Government to put in place sound water resource management practices and to comply with the Territory's commitment to Council of Australian Governments' water reforms.

I must emphasis that development of legislation is only the first step in improving the management of our water resources. Once the legislation is in place necessary information can be collected and then actual water allocation arrangements will be developed in consultation with stakeholders.

Some of the major elements of the Bill are worth noting.

Most significantly, the Bill requires the formal determination of environmental flow guidelines. It also requires that the Territory's water resources be managed to ensure compliance with the guidelines. It is intended that the environmental flow guidelines developed under the Territory Plan will be used. Members will be aware that these have recently been considered by the Planning and Environment Committee.

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