Senate debates

Thursday, 8 February 2007

Water

10:40 am

Photo of Kerry NettleKerry Nettle (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—
(a)
notes that:
(i)
the internationally significant Ramsar-listed wetlands, the Macquarie Marshes in New South Wales are dying because of a lack of water,
(ii)
water for cotton irrigation upstream on the Macquarie River has been over-allocated and has starved the Macquarie Marshes of water, specifically the periodic flooding necessary for the marsh flora and fauna to survive, and
(iii)
if there is not a substantial flood in the Macquarie Marshes in the near future, a substantial area of the marsh will be permanently damaged; and
(b)
calls on the Government to:
(i)
prioritise, for immediate buy-back, the over-allocation of water licences on the Macquarie River, and
(ii)
ensure that a substantial and immediate environmental flow to save the marshes is allocated as soon as the drought breaks and water is available.

Question put.

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