❓ Mr. Hatton asks the Minister for Water about updates on water resource management reform. The Minister outlines the government's position paper, legislative changes, and key aspects like enhanced licensing, risk-based processes, and water access entitlements.
AnsweredQoN 587Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
587. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for Water:
My question is to the Minister for Culture and the Arts. Can
the minister please update the house on recent developments in the reform of
water resource management in Western Australia?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Balcatta, would you like to rephrase your question?
Mr C.D. HATTON : I
take back Minister for Culture and the Arts and make it Minister for Water.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.D. HATTON : I
assure members I have read it right, but I make the correction now.
Can the Minister for Water please update the house on recent
developments in the reform of water resource management in Western Australia?
587. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for Water:
My question is to the Minister for Culture and the Arts. Can
the minister please update the house on recent developments in the reform of
water resource management in Western Australia?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Balcatta, would you like to rephrase your question?
Mr C.D. HATTON : I
take back Minister for Culture and the Arts and make it Minister for Water.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.D. HATTON : I
assure members I have read it right, but I make the correction now.
Can the Minister for Water please update the house on recent
developments in the reform of water resource management in Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Balcatta for the question. Indeed, I
would love to update the house on all matters water.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Are
you pushing back the Museum?
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I
did go to the Museum recently and saw the Egypt displays. It was fantastic. I
am sure that on another day the Minister for Culture and the Arts will be
pleased to update the house.
The SPEAKER :
Minister, come back to water, please.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : Mr
Speaker, I come back to the agenda.
Yesterday I got the chance to announce, and this morning I
released, the Liberal–National government's position paper on
water resource management reform in Western Australia. Yesterday, we launched
it in front of a heap of stakeholders who, over the past 12 months, have been
engaged very strongly with the Department of Water around the government's
agenda to change and put in place a legislative process to renew a big stack of
antiquated legislation in Western Australia. As the member would well know, the
Liberal–National government recently put in place the Water Services
Act, which was introduced by the previous minister, and that is now flowing
through. That act replaced 10 pieces of legislation and the government is
proposing to replace another six acts to do with water management in Western
Australia. Some of those acts have been in place for over 100 years, so it is
well and truly time to do some work in this space. The position paper has
declared clearly the Liberal–National government's position on
all aspects of water reform. Efforts in the past, by the Labor Party in
particular, to try to reform this issue were tripped up on a whole range of
matters. If the opposition wants, I am happy to go into the details around
that, but I highlight that it is well before time to do this work.
There are a number of aspects to the
position paper. One is around having a more enhanced licence process, and
giving some more tenure to that, to give surety to members of the business
community about key aspects of their businesses. If they are reliant on a
source of water and water licences, tenure is important to their business.
Another is simplifying the water process to ensure that it is risk based. If
there is an increasing level of competition for water, as we see now, it is
important for government to have very robust and transparent processes for
managing the allocation of water sources. If there is reduced risk of adverse
effects by the overtake of water, clearly not as much effort needs to go into
the robustness of that process in areas where plenty of water is available.
There has been a trial in the south west on variable take. In
those seasons with more rain, as we have had in this particular season, there
is capacity to have another tier of licences that allows users to pick up some
of that water. That is a fantastic outcome. It will be a key component or
another tool in the box for all those who have water licences that will come
through in this legislative change.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
The notion of having water access entitlements, which is a higher level of
security around water, and the principle of consumptive pools through statutory
water allocation limits and statutory water management plans will come through
in this legislation. We are highlighting the fact that we will make the
legislative provision for those entitlements, but there will be local advisory
groups advising on the development of the statutory water management plans,
which will then determine allocation limits for particular areas. Should the
users in those areas choose to go down the path of having water access
entitlements, then that is a pathway they can take up.
I want to highlight that water is a really important resource
for the further development of this state. It is important that the state has
contemporary legislation to manage the competing interests, both robust and
transparent. That is what the position paper delivers. It clearly outlines the
government's position and I look forward to receiving support from the
opposition when it comes in.
would love to update the house on all matters water.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Are
you pushing back the Museum?
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I
did go to the Museum recently and saw the Egypt displays. It was fantastic. I
am sure that on another day the Minister for Culture and the Arts will be
pleased to update the house.
The SPEAKER :
Minister, come back to water, please.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : Mr
Speaker, I come back to the agenda.
Yesterday I got the chance to announce, and this morning I
released, the Liberal–National government's position paper on
water resource management reform in Western Australia. Yesterday, we launched
it in front of a heap of stakeholders who, over the past 12 months, have been
engaged very strongly with the Department of Water around the government's
agenda to change and put in place a legislative process to renew a big stack of
antiquated legislation in Western Australia. As the member would well know, the
Liberal–National government recently put in place the Water Services
Act, which was introduced by the previous minister, and that is now flowing
through. That act replaced 10 pieces of legislation and the government is
proposing to replace another six acts to do with water management in Western
Australia. Some of those acts have been in place for over 100 years, so it is
well and truly time to do some work in this space. The position paper has
declared clearly the Liberal–National government's position on
all aspects of water reform. Efforts in the past, by the Labor Party in
particular, to try to reform this issue were tripped up on a whole range of
matters. If the opposition wants, I am happy to go into the details around
that, but I highlight that it is well before time to do this work.
There are a number of aspects to the
position paper. One is around having a more enhanced licence process, and
giving some more tenure to that, to give surety to members of the business
community about key aspects of their businesses. If they are reliant on a
source of water and water licences, tenure is important to their business.
Another is simplifying the water process to ensure that it is risk based. If
there is an increasing level of competition for water, as we see now, it is
important for government to have very robust and transparent processes for
managing the allocation of water sources. If there is reduced risk of adverse
effects by the overtake of water, clearly not as much effort needs to go into
the robustness of that process in areas where plenty of water is available.
There has been a trial in the south west on variable take. In
those seasons with more rain, as we have had in this particular season, there
is capacity to have another tier of licences that allows users to pick up some
of that water. That is a fantastic outcome. It will be a key component or
another tool in the box for all those who have water licences that will come
through in this legislative change.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
The notion of having water access entitlements, which is a higher level of
security around water, and the principle of consumptive pools through statutory
water allocation limits and statutory water management plans will come through
in this legislation. We are highlighting the fact that we will make the
legislative provision for those entitlements, but there will be local advisory
groups advising on the development of the statutory water management plans,
which will then determine allocation limits for particular areas. Should the
users in those areas choose to go down the path of having water access
entitlements, then that is a pathway they can take up.
I want to highlight that water is a really important resource
for the further development of this state. It is important that the state has
contemporary legislation to manage the competing interests, both robust and
transparent. That is what the position paper delivers. It clearly outlines the
government's position and I look forward to receiving support from the
opposition when it comes in.
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