Sarah Hanson-Young SA, Australian Greens
3:59 pm
I, and also on behalf of Senator Waters, move:
That the Senate—
(a) notes that South Australia's iconic Lake Eyre is dependent on water flows from the Cooper, Diamantina and Georgina rivers, which are under threat by the Queensland Government's proposal to repeal legislation that currently protects them;
(b) opposes the repealing of the Wild Rivers legislation by the Queensland Government; and
(c) urges the South Australian Premier, Mr Weatherill, to act promptly to work with the Federal Government to protect the Lake Eyre Basin from the proposal of the Premier of Queensland, Mr Newman.
Question agreed to.
Barnaby Joyce Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate
Mr Deputy President, I seek leave to make a short statement.
Barnaby Joyce Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate
Thank you very much, Mr Deputy President. In regard to the motion by Senator Hanson-Young and Senator Waters, we do not agree with the repealing of wild rivers. We believe that that is something that has to be fleshed out more, especially with the Indigenous communities of the gulf, who rely on that for their economic development.
On point (c), it is Premier Weatherill who is responsible for not funding one of the crucial parts of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, so we think it is the height of hypocrisy to be asking Mr Weatherill to work more closely with the federal government when he is not actually working with the federal government at the moment.
Sarah Hanson-Young SA, Australian Greens
4:00 pm
Mr Deputy President, I seek leave to make a short statement.
Sarah Hanson-Young SA, Australian Greens
Thank you, Mr Deputy President. I am seeking clarification as to whether Senator Joyce is suggesting that the coalition do not support the repealing of wild rivers legislation. That is what he said. If that is not right, would he be willing to correct the record?
Barnaby Joyce Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate
4:01 pm
Mr Deputy President, I seek leave to make a short statement.
Barnaby Joyce Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate
That is good. We do support the repealing of wild rivers legislation.