Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Hansard source

Before I start my speech, I'd like to seek leave to move an amendment to the motion.

Leave not granted.

I will continue to speak on the matter then. The Murray-Darling river passes through areas which receive little rain. In these dry areas water is gold, providing people with drinking water and water for agriculture. The recent allegations concerning the Barwon-Darling river are disturbing, but theft and corruption are not confined to this part of the Murray-Darling river system. We need a judicial inquiry into the Commonwealth purchase of water throughout the Murray-Darling Basin because we are paying for environmental water that is ending up in hands of large irrigators and others.

The Murray-Darling problem goes beyond private and government corruption. It involves the wastage of the $13 billion of taxpayer money committed to fixing the problems of the river system. We cannot replace Darling River flows by releasing water held in dams like Hume weir and sending it down the Murray. This strategy is flawed. The low banks of the Murray cannot contain excessive man-made water flows. The result is catastrophic floods, damaging the environment and farmers alike. The so-called facts on which the present Murray-Darling Basin plan rests need to be revisited by an independent body, because the Murray-Darling Basin Authority does not engender any confidence.

I was informed—I did not hear the speech myself—that Senator Fawcett made the comment that I had no idea what I am talking about and that I haven't been there. Let me bring to the attention of the house that Senator Burston, Senator Roberts and I made an extensive three-day tour of the Murray-Darling river from Melbourne right to the mouth in South Australia. We talked to communities. We talked to the farmers who are going under and losing their businesses and who are destitute because they are not being listened to by politicians. How many members of this house have bothered to take the time to go and investigate this and speak to not only the farmers and the communities, but the businesses who will lose their livelihoods because this is not being sorted out?

Knowing this, from having acquainted myself with the situation in Victoria and South Australia, I also went to St George in Queensland. They are also affected by the regulations that have been brought in. At one stage the Murray-Darling was looked after by 35 people; now it is in excess of hundreds. Why do we need that many people? This whole thing has to be taken out of the hands of profiteers who are making money out of this. Let's utilise the water. It is like gold in this country. It needs to be managed correctly and in the best interests of Australians.