Published Wednesday, 10 January, 2007 at 03:40 PM
JOINT STATEMENT
Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Paul Lucas
Minister for Natural Resources and Water and Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland
The Honourable Craig Wallace
NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION REPORT ENDORSES WATER MANAGEMENT IN QUEENSLAND
The National Water Commission has endorsed the management of water in Queensland, including management plans for the Warrego River, Acting Water Minister Paul Lucas said today.
Mr Lucas said a 2005 report by the commission said “Queensland’s activities for addressing water planning and allocation … are consistent with the National Water Initiative.”
“Malcolm Turnbull’s misinformed calls for an investigation into Queensland’s Warrego water allocation have left him with egg on his face,” Minister Lucas said.
“If the Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Water had done his homework he would have discovered this allocation was identified in 2003 and that the Commonwealth Government had been aware of it since this time.
“And in fact, the National Water Commission's 2005 National Competition Policy Assessment of Water Reform Progress report not only found Queensland’s water planning and allocation were consistent with the National Water Initiative, but that Queensland was the only Murray-Darling Basin state that should not be penalised under a 2004 National Competition Policy assessment.
“That is stated on page 4.20 and 4.24 of the report, which is available for anyone, including Mr Turnbull, to read online at http://www.nwc.gov.au/nwi/docs
“Mr Turnbull has been caught out.”
“The Queensland Government is fiercely committed to the responsible management of water supplies as we face our worst drought on record.
“The Warrego allocation from the Murray-Darling Basin can only be accessed under the strictest conditions that it has no detriment to the end-of-system flow, which even after this allocation will be at 89%, one of the highest rates in the Basin .
“Of the total water taken from the Murray-Darling Basin, Queensland takes 5 percent, in comparison to NSW’s 55 percent, Victoria’s 34 percent and South Australia’s 6%.”
Media inquiries: 3237 1947
NB Editors: updated release includes attribution of Minister Lucas as Acting Water Minister
Mr Lucas said a 2005 report by the commission said “Queensland’s activities for addressing water planning and allocation … are consistent with the National Water Initiative.”
“Malcolm Turnbull’s misinformed calls for an investigation into Queensland’s Warrego water allocation have left him with egg on his face,” Minister Lucas said.
“If the Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Water had done his homework he would have discovered this allocation was identified in 2003 and that the Commonwealth Government had been aware of it since this time.
“And in fact, the National Water Commission's 2005 National Competition Policy Assessment of Water Reform Progress report not only found Queensland’s water planning and allocation were consistent with the National Water Initiative, but that Queensland was the only Murray-Darling Basin state that should not be penalised under a 2004 National Competition Policy assessment.
“That is stated on page 4.20 and 4.24 of the report, which is available for anyone, including Mr Turnbull, to read online at http://www.nwc.gov.au/nwi/docs
“Mr Turnbull has been caught out.”
“The Queensland Government is fiercely committed to the responsible management of water supplies as we face our worst drought on record.
“The Warrego allocation from the Murray-Darling Basin can only be accessed under the strictest conditions that it has no detriment to the end-of-system flow, which even after this allocation will be at 89%, one of the highest rates in the Basin .
“Of the total water taken from the Murray-Darling Basin, Queensland takes 5 percent, in comparison to NSW’s 55 percent, Victoria’s 34 percent and South Australia’s 6%.”
Media inquiries: 3237 1947
NB Editors: updated release includes attribution of Minister Lucas as Acting Water Minister