Page 3618 - Week 08 - Thursday, 19 August 2010
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runoff, phosphorous in washing powders and treated sewage all add nutrients that can affect the quality of our waterways, as we are seeing particularly in Lake Burley Griffin. We need to find a way to address this.
The Greens consider that there may be a role for the ACT government, the New South Wales government and the NCA to work together on issues of lake quality. It is clear that it is an issue where it is not simply one jurisdiction that can fix it, nor simply one jurisdiction that is responsible for it. And on that basis, we clearly need to improve the coordination and the effort across the jurisdictions in order to tackle this increasingly problematic issue. I also look forward to seeing the suggestions put forward by the NCA about how water quality might be best managed. I understand that they are actively looking at these issues and I expect that we will see some indication soon of perhaps the ideas that they do have.
Of course, then what happens is another question. The funding to the NCA has been run down over many years now. Whether the NCA will have the capacity both in terms of its time and energy as well as potentially the cost of seeking solutions for the lake is something that I have concerns about. That is certainly an issue I will be continuing to follow very closely because of my obvious very direct personal interest.
Members may be interested to know there is now a Facebook group that actually is agitating for the cleaning up of Lake Burley Griffin. And these are many lake users, whether it is kayakers, triathletes, swimmers, rowing persons, yachters. Is the correct term, Mr Hargreaves, a yachtsperson?
Mr Hargreaves: Yachts people, sailors.
MR RATTENBURY: Yachts people.
Mr Smyth: Yachties.
MR RATTENBURY: Yachties. There is a range of suggestions around the chamber. Nonetheless, these are all people who are very frustrated by the problems of the lake and are keen to explore the ways we can fix it. I think that this Assembly, in partnership with our commonwealth and New South Wales partners, needs to strive very hard to find a solution.
Nonetheless, that is an issue for the future. Today’s bill is about simply addressing the issue essentially of water abstraction and a number of other consequential matters through the bill. The Greens will be supporting this bill today.
MR HARGREAVES (Brindabella) (10.54): The Water Resources Amendment Bill 2010 is a small but important step for water resource management in the ACT. It will bring the ACT closer to full compliance with the national water initiative, and it will bring water that has previously been controlled by the commonwealth under the ACT planning and management arrangements.
Mr Seselja: I think the goatee suits him.
MR HARGREAVES: It’s good, isn’t it? You like that?
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