Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Prime Minister, last week, ABC Lateline aired further allegations of illegal water diversion and capture from the Murray-Darling Basin, this time in Queensland. Given that the serious allegations of water theft in the Murray-Darling Basin have now extended beyond New South Wales to Queensland, and therefore have become multijurisdictional, what possible reason could the government have to opposing a royal commission into the $13 billion plan's implementation—the only form of inquiry that could compel witnesses across all jurisdictions to appear or provide information?

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. Might I say that, at this point in time, we have five inquiries into the water issue. The first inquiry is by Ken Matthews, who is reporting today. That Ken Matthews report is imminent. This Ken Matthews inquiry also has the assistance of three former ICAC officials with policing powers. We know that ICAC has been terribly effective in dealing with corrupt politicians. A couple of ex-Labor Party ones are now residing at Her Majesty's pleasure. Also, Hanlon has referred himself to ICAC. So ICAC can, at any point in time, expand its investigation in New South Wales. On top of that, we have an audit inquiry that is also looking into this issue. We have the Murray-Darling Basin Authority also having an inquiry into this. We have recently also started a Senate inquiry into the same issue. So, amongst these five inquiries, I believe that we are doing everything that is diligent in investigating this.

Might I say that, if someone is thieving water then they are in the same realm as anybody who's thieving anything else. If they are thieving water and they are caught, they will have the full force of the law placed against them. But I might also say, in the same breath, that we have to be exceptionally diligent in noting what is an allegation and what is a fact, because what we have seen recently are merely allegations. I'm very aware of a defamation case that is currently underway to deal with precisely the fact that some of the ABC reports might have gone too far.