Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Minchin, Minister representing the Prime Minister. Will the minister confirm a statement from a senior government source that, because it is important to look after people first, they will cut environmental flows so they can allocate more water to irrigators? How much water does the minister intend to take away from environmental flows to give to irrigators and is it true that they are considering draining wetlands to achieve this?

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With great respect to Senator Siewert, whom I have no reason to doubt in any way, when I hear questions quoting ‘senior government sources’ I do have reason to have some doubt about the nature of the question and the foundation for the question.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Urban Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Carr interjecting—

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Carr!

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am certainly not aware of reports or rumours from senior government sources that we are taking water from the environment to give to irrigators or that we are going to drain wetlands or whatever else the senior government sources may allude to as the damnable activities of our government, no doubt! No, I am not aware of any such plans.

I am not seeking here—through you, Mr President, to Senator Carr—to blame the states, but it should be remembered that the constitutional fact is that we do not actually issue water licences and we do not control irrigators. We seek to work with the state governments to ensure that the health of our river systems can be sustained well into the future for the sake of our generation and future generations and to ensure a cooperative approach with those sovereign governments who do have the constitutional authority over the issue of water licences and the management of water in this country. But I think I can safely deny any proposition on our part to drain wetlands or take water from the environment to give to irrigators.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I am pleased to hear that reassurance, because the Prime Minister at lunchtime in fact did say that the task force going away to consider these issues may consider draining wetlands, so I am very pleased to hear Senator Minchin deny that that is in fact the case. Could the minister reassure us that, if they do consider draining wetlands, they will seek legal advice? Will there be an environmental impact assessment statement?

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was watching the Prime Minister’s press conference with his Premier colleagues, and a very interesting press conference it was too. It is great to see the federal-state cooperation on this very significant national issue. Certainly I did not hear the Prime Minister or anybody else refer to the draining of wetlands and so I do not retract the statements I have made. But I am happy to check the record on that matter and correct anything I have said if it needs correction.