WATER BILL DELIVERS ON MURRAY-DARLING BASIN COMMITMENT

The Bligh Government today delivered on its commitment to help secure the long-term future of the Murray-Darling Basin.

“We’re putting our promise into practice with the introduction today of the Water (Commonwealth Powers) Bill 2008 to Queensland Parliament,” Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig Wallace said.

The Bill gives delivers on Queensland’s commitment under the Intergovernmental Agreement on Murray-Darling Basin Reform, which was signed by the Premier Anna Bligh and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, as well as the Premiers of other Murray-Darling Basin states on July 3 this year.

“This Bill provides for limited referral of state powers to the Commonwealth to give effect to water reform in the Basin,” Mr Wallace said.

“While 25 per cent of the Basin is within Queensland and we take less than five per cent of the total water extracted each year, we recognise that all the Basin states need to play their part to secure its long-term future.”

The legislation allows for the referral of necessary state powers to the Commonwealth to put in place new management arrangements in the Basin. The new Murray-Darling Basin Authority will manage the Basin water resources replacing the current Murray-Darling Basin Commission.

It also allows for the extension of the Commonwealth Water Act to apply its rules consistently for water charges in the basin, and allows the Basin Plan to provide for critical human water needs.

The legislation also includes amendments that put into effect the Queensland Government’s decision to gift 10.6 billion litres of unallocated water from Queensland Basin catchments to the Commonwealth.

“This legislation, and the gifting of water to the environment, exemplifies the cooperative approach Queensland is taking to play its part in securing the basin’s long-term future,” Mr Wallace said.

Media contact: Minister Wallace’s office, 3896 3688.