Page 182 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 13 February 2019
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extensive consultation across multiple jurisdictions and at all levels of government. Proper management of water within the Murray-Darling Basin impacts on the lives of more than two million people who live within the basin.
That is why this afternoon I am pleased to echo the words of Minister Gentleman that it is right and proper for this Assembly to discuss the issues raised by the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission report and the issues raised in the Productivity Commission’s recent report on the basin plan.
The findings of these reports have, at a minimum, raised serious questions about the efficacy of the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin plan. Communities within the basin, including people living here in Canberra, the largest population centre within the Murray-Darling Basin, expect proper management of the basin’s resources. The findings of the recent royal commission and the work of the Productivity Commission, as well as the much-publicised mass fish deaths, have shaken community confidence in basin management. Therefore, it is vital that that the basin states and territories respond quickly and effectively to restore community confidence.
That is why I have written to the Prime Minister and the South Australian Premier, Steven Marshall, who made some comments on the release of the South Australian royal commission report calling for an urgent meeting, to agree that there should be an urgent meeting between the basin state and territory water ministers and the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council. We simply must address these issues as a matter of priority and develop a constructive way forward for the implementation of the basin plan. I hope that the Prime Minister and Premier Marshall will be receptive to this proposal, to ensure thorough consideration of the issues and to properly inform the next COAG meeting.
It is important that the way forward be based on the best scientific information available, including accounting for the changes that climate change will bring, and that the way forward not be based on personal or political ideology.
The ACT government has supported the objectives of the basin plan from its inception and has endeavoured to implement its commitments. We remain committed to working collaboratively with the other basin states and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to ensure the successful implementation of the plan. As Mr Gentleman has outlined, in contrast to some other jurisdictions we have met all of our compliance requirements, including metering and enforcement. This is reflected in the annual implementation milestone reports and basin plan evaluation reports.
We are also implementing the healthy waterways program to improve the water quality of our lakes and waterways and the water quality of the Murrumbidgee River, which feeds directly into the Murray-Darling Basin. These projects, which are nearly $100 million in total, will improve long-term water quality here in the territory and in the Murrumbidgee River system by reducing the level of sediment and nutrients entering ACT lakes and waterways.
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