Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Hansard source

I took the question to mean that we need more water in basin communities who are suffering from drought and near-zero allocations in some states and very low allocations in others. In these conditions what water there is for the environment is being used cautiously to minimise irreversible damage. At the beginning of August the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder commenced the delivery of the southern spring flow targeting environmental outcomes. I think it's useful to note that the Water Act does not allow water set aside for the environment to be given to farmers either as a loan or as a gift.