Senate debates Bills

Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Bill 2023; Second Reading


Sue Lines

Sue Lines President

12:48 pm

The question is that the second reading amendment as moved by Senator Davey be agreed to.

David Pocock

David Pocock ACT, Independent

12:50 pm

by leave—President, could you please note my support for (b) on the sheet of amendments just moved by Senator Davey?

Malcolm Roberts

Malcolm Roberts Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party

I move Pauline Hanson's One Nation amendment on sheet No. 2159:

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate:

(a) notes:

(i) that water recovered by the South East Flows Restoration Project is included in the South Australian Government's water accounting as a sustainable diversion limit adjustment, and

(ii) the figure used is not accurately measured for surface water and aquifer flow into the Coorong and Lake Albert; and

(b) calls on the Minister for the Environment and Water to ensure the surface water and aquifer flow from this project is measured and accounted for accurately".

Sue Lines

Sue Lines President

The question is that the second reading amendment as moved by Senator Roberts be agreed to.

Lidia Thorpe

Lidia Thorpe Victoria, Independent

12:57 pm

I move the second reading amendment standing in my name:

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate:

(a) acknowledges the historical and ongoing exclusion of First Peoples from the use and management of Basin water resources; and

(b) calls on the Government to:

(i) recognise and respect the Sovereign rights of First Peoples in the Murray-Darling Basin to manage and care for lands and waters,

(ii) undertake work and consultation to align all water legislation and policies with the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,

(iii) ensure that the Minister for the Environment and Water and relevant water agencies, including the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, are required to consult and cooperate in good faith with First Nations in the Basin through their own representative institutions in order to obtain free, prior and informed consent in all decisions around water management,

(iv) recognise that women hold important water knowledge and reflect this in consultation with First Peoples around water use and management; and

(v) commence Treaty processes with all sovereign language groups so that all Nations can self-determine their own aspirations in relation to water access, use and ownership".

Sue Lines

Sue Lines President

The question is that the second reading motion as moved by Senator Thorpe be agreed to.

Sue Lines

Sue Lines President

1:02 pm

Before I move to the next second reading amendment, I advise advisers at the back of the room that, once tellers are appointed, you are not to move and you are to be sitting down. Senator Van, are you seeking the call?

David Van

David Van Victoria, Liberal Party

I move the second reading amendment moved in my name.

Sue Lines

Sue Lines President

The question is that the second reading amendment as moved by Senator Van be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

Original question, as amended, agreed to.

Bill read a second time.