Sykes speaks to Water Acts Amendment Bill - Second Reading

WATER ACTS AMENDMENT (ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER MATTERS) BILL

Second reading

Debate resumed from earlier this day; motion of Mr THWAITES (Minister for Water, Environment and Climate Change).

Dr SYKES (Benalla) -- I wish to contribute briefly to the debate on the Water Acts Amendment (Enforcement and Other Matters) Bill 2007. This bill focuses on one aspect of water management -- that is, the enforcement of regulations. I would like to briefly comment on another aspect -- that is, the role of upper catchment storages, which are critical components of drought response plans and permanent water saving plans as defined in clause 3 of the bill. I would also like to comment on the implementation of the regulations, of which adequate enforcement is a key component.

Upper catchment storages provide security of supply and flexibility of management of water for the benefit of the environment, downstream communities, irrigated agriculture and industry. At last the Minister for Water, Environment and Climate Change and the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) are publicly recognising this fact and have stated that they are now prepared to consider increased storage capacity of dams such as Lake Buffalo and Lake William Hovell, which are in the high-rainfall catchment areas. I should note that today's Wangaratta Chronicle points out that Lake William Hovell is overflowing, showing that there is plenty of capacity there for holding water and that there is an opportunity to increase storage capacity.

The minister also acknowledges that the Murray-Darling Basin cap is on water usage and not water storage, and therefore the cap per se is not an impediment to increased upper catchment storage capacity in northern Victoria. This is a point that I have been making to the minister for a number of years.

The current drought should also prompt a reconsideration of the decision to decommission Lake Mokoan. Today local Broken Valley irrigators are making a presentation to DSE and others on their alternate proposal for Lake Mokoan, which would deliver water savings in line with the plans but also retain security of supply for the Broken Valley, thereby preventing the serious social and economic impacts associated with the full decommissioning.

A small Lake Mokoan would enable the provision of continued security of supply and the flexibility of management of water for the irrigation industry, the broader manufacturing industries, the community and, last but not least, the environment. To this end I ask that the minister give this proposal his very full and considered consideration, including having a firsthand presentation from the irrigators before making his decision.

I turn to the implementation of the regulations that this bill relates to.

Stage 4 restrictions have been applied throughout many communities in country Victoria, often with severe economic consequences for businesses such as car washes and nurseries. Regrettably the government did not put Melbourne onto stage 4 restrictions, despite its having reached the trigger point. Instead the government made up a new category 3a. People in country Victoria believe that there should be one rule for all and that there should be equitable sharing of the inevitable pain.
Continuing on the issue of restrictions, there is also the staged removal of restrictions. Most communities in north-east Victoria are now coming off stage 4 restrictions while some others are moving up to stage 3 restrictions, in line with proposals to cope with the possibility of a continuation of this drought for a long period. Benalla and Myrtleford are two communities which are still on stage 4 restrictions.

Today I have spoken with North East Water, and we agreed that there is little point in keeping those communities on stage 4 rather than stage 3 restrictions, as there are minimal additional savings, but there is a considerable ongoing economic impact for businesses such as nurseries and car washes. I believe that as a result of our conversation, Benalla and Myrtleford will be taken off stage 4 restrictions very soon, provided the minister for water and the DSE do not delay the process.

I therefore call upon the Minister for Water, Environment and Climate Change to ensure that such delays do not occur, hence avoiding an unnecessary continuation of the financial impact of stage 4 restrictions on businesses such as local car washes and nurseries. In closing, I make the plea: get it right -- water is so damned important!

Passed remaining stages.

Remaining business postponed on motion of Mr CAMERON (Minister for Police and Emergency Services).

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