Senate debates

Tuesday, 25 November 2008

Water Amendment Bill 2008

In Committee

8:43 pm

Photo of Rachel SiewertRachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Given the minister’s comments, I need to check that in fact the authority will pay due regard to Australia’s international obligations for Ramsar management and various strategies and documents that are developed—conditions, for example, that are imposed under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. I presume that the minister is not being so broad with the independence of the authority that the authority does not need to give due regard to other laws of this land and other obligations that Australia has for implementing its Ramsar, CAMBA and JAMBA commitments. There is a whole list of those. I presume that the minister does not mean the authority has such independence that it can feel free to ignore those obligations.

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