Ursula Stephens (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Science and Water) Share this | Hansard source

I too have a question to Senator Minchin in relation to today’s water summit. Minister, can you clarify the position of the government in relation to buying back water licences? Hasn’t the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry ruled out the government buying back complete licences and only supports a limited buyback? Given the minister for agriculture acknowledged yesterday that ‘far too many’ licences had been granted, and supported an open market on water trading, why shouldn’t the government participate in that market and buy back water for environmental flows? Isn’t that a good way to restore the water flows to our dying inland rivers? Why should the government be restricted to only buying back water gained from efficiencies?