Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Siewert, I move Greens amendment (15) on sheet 5361:

(15)  Page 106 (after line 12), at the end of Part 2, add:

Division 5—Investments

86A Investment decisions

                 The Minister, in making investment decisions related to the Murray-Darling Basin, including but not limited to investments relating to modernising on-farm and off-farm irrigation infrastructure, major engineering works and the purchase of water allocations, must:

             (a)    ensure consistency of the investment with the Basin Plan; and

             (b)    ensure consistency of the investment with the National Water Initiative commitments, giving effect to the principles of full-cost recovery, user pays and pricing transparency; and

             (c)    provide transparency and accountability in the expenditure of funds; and

             (d)    monitor and measure the effectiveness of the investment in meeting the objectives of the Basin Plan; and

             (e)    assess the cost effectiveness of the proposal.

This is to ensure that the minister in making investment decisions relating to the Murray-Darling Basin has consistency in the investment with the basin plan and with the National Water Initiative. It also makes sure that those decisions on the investment by the minister give effect to the principles of full cost recovery, user-pays, transparency, accountability, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the investment in meeting the objectives of the basin plan and cost-effectiveness of the proposal. So it is a motion for good accountability and to ensure that the minister in making these quite enormous investment decisions abides by these principles in making those decisions.

Question negatived.