❓ A parliamentary question regarding the roles of the Water Corporation and the Water and Rivers Commission in groundwater abstraction, specifically concerning the Gnangara mound. The response clarifies the process and denies any usurpation of roles.
AnsweredQoN 112Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to question without notice 1608 dated 4 December 2003. (1) Does the minister understand that it is the role of the Water and Rivers Commission to determine the amount of ground water abstraction that is environmentally acceptable? (2) Does the minister agree that it is the Water Corporation’s role to seek approval for as much water as is necessary to meet public demand? (3) Why does the minister allow the Water Corporation to persistently usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission by applying for inadequate amounts of ground water rather than applying for more water and allowing the commission to make the relevant judgment about environmental considerations, as is its lawful duty? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
On behalf of the Minister for Government Enterprises, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. The process is that the Water and Rivers Commission determines how much water the Water Corporation can abstract. (2) No. The corporation applies to the Water and Rivers Commission for the maximum amount of ground water within the constraints set by regulations. In the case of the Gnangara mound, the primary restraint is the water level criteria set to protect the environment. (3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
(1) Does the minister understand that it is the role of the Water and Rivers Commission to determine the amount of ground water abstraction that is environmentally acceptable? (2) Does the minister agree that it is the Water Corporation’s role to seek approval for as much water as is necessary to meet public demand? (3) Why does the minister allow the Water Corporation to persistently usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission by applying for inadequate amounts of ground water rather than applying for more water and allowing the commission to make the relevant judgment about environmental considerations, as is its lawful duty? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : On behalf of the Minister for Government Enterprises, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. The process is that the Water and Rivers Commission determines how much water the Water Corporation can abstract. (2) No. The corporation applies to the Water and Rivers Commission for the maximum amount of ground water within the constraints set by regulations. In the case of the Gnangara mound, the primary restraint is the water level criteria set to protect the environment. (3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
(2) Does the minister agree that it is the Water Corporation’s role to seek approval for as much water as is necessary to meet public demand? (3) Why does the minister allow the Water Corporation to persistently usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission by applying for inadequate amounts of ground water rather than applying for more water and allowing the commission to make the relevant judgment about environmental considerations, as is its lawful duty? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : On behalf of the Minister for Government Enterprises, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. The process is that the Water and Rivers Commission determines how much water the Water Corporation can abstract. (2) No. The corporation applies to the Water and Rivers Commission for the maximum amount of ground water within the constraints set by regulations. In the case of the Gnangara mound, the primary restraint is the water level criteria set to protect the environment. (3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
(3) Why does the minister allow the Water Corporation to persistently usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission by applying for inadequate amounts of ground water rather than applying for more water and allowing the commission to make the relevant judgment about environmental considerations, as is its lawful duty? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : On behalf of the Minister for Government Enterprises, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. The process is that the Water and Rivers Commission determines how much water the Water Corporation can abstract. (2) No. The corporation applies to the Water and Rivers Commission for the maximum amount of ground water within the constraints set by regulations. In the case of the Gnangara mound, the primary restraint is the water level criteria set to protect the environment. (3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied : On behalf of the Minister for Government Enterprises, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. The process is that the Water and Rivers Commission determines how much water the Water Corporation can abstract. (2) No. The corporation applies to the Water and Rivers Commission for the maximum amount of ground water within the constraints set by regulations. In the case of the Gnangara mound, the primary restraint is the water level criteria set to protect the environment. (3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
On behalf of the Minister for Government Enterprises, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. The process is that the Water and Rivers Commission determines how much water the Water Corporation can abstract. (2) No. The corporation applies to the Water and Rivers Commission for the maximum amount of ground water within the constraints set by regulations. In the case of the Gnangara mound, the primary restraint is the water level criteria set to protect the environment. (3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
(1) Yes. The process is that the Water and Rivers Commission determines how much water the Water Corporation can abstract. (2) No. The corporation applies to the Water and Rivers Commission for the maximum amount of ground water within the constraints set by regulations. In the case of the Gnangara mound, the primary restraint is the water level criteria set to protect the environment. (3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
(2) No. The corporation applies to the Water and Rivers Commission for the maximum amount of ground water within the constraints set by regulations. In the case of the Gnangara mound, the primary restraint is the water level criteria set to protect the environment. (3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
(3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
(1) Does the minister understand that it is the role of the Water and Rivers Commission to determine the amount of ground water abstraction that is environmentally acceptable? (2) Does the minister agree that it is the Water Corporation’s role to seek approval for as much water as is necessary to meet public demand? (3) Why does the minister allow the Water Corporation to persistently usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission by applying for inadequate amounts of ground water rather than applying for more water and allowing the commission to make the relevant judgment about environmental considerations, as is its lawful duty? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : On behalf of the Minister for Government Enterprises, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. The process is that the Water and Rivers Commission determines how much water the Water Corporation can abstract. (2) No. The corporation applies to the Water and Rivers Commission for the maximum amount of ground water within the constraints set by regulations. In the case of the Gnangara mound, the primary restraint is the water level criteria set to protect the environment. (3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
(2) Does the minister agree that it is the Water Corporation’s role to seek approval for as much water as is necessary to meet public demand? (3) Why does the minister allow the Water Corporation to persistently usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission by applying for inadequate amounts of ground water rather than applying for more water and allowing the commission to make the relevant judgment about environmental considerations, as is its lawful duty? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : On behalf of the Minister for Government Enterprises, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. The process is that the Water and Rivers Commission determines how much water the Water Corporation can abstract. (2) No. The corporation applies to the Water and Rivers Commission for the maximum amount of ground water within the constraints set by regulations. In the case of the Gnangara mound, the primary restraint is the water level criteria set to protect the environment. (3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
(3) Why does the minister allow the Water Corporation to persistently usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission by applying for inadequate amounts of ground water rather than applying for more water and allowing the commission to make the relevant judgment about environmental considerations, as is its lawful duty? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : On behalf of the Minister for Government Enterprises, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. The process is that the Water and Rivers Commission determines how much water the Water Corporation can abstract. (2) No. The corporation applies to the Water and Rivers Commission for the maximum amount of ground water within the constraints set by regulations. In the case of the Gnangara mound, the primary restraint is the water level criteria set to protect the environment. (3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied : On behalf of the Minister for Government Enterprises, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. The process is that the Water and Rivers Commission determines how much water the Water Corporation can abstract. (2) No. The corporation applies to the Water and Rivers Commission for the maximum amount of ground water within the constraints set by regulations. In the case of the Gnangara mound, the primary restraint is the water level criteria set to protect the environment. (3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
On behalf of the Minister for Government Enterprises, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of the question. (1) Yes. The process is that the Water and Rivers Commission determines how much water the Water Corporation can abstract. (2) No. The corporation applies to the Water and Rivers Commission for the maximum amount of ground water within the constraints set by regulations. In the case of the Gnangara mound, the primary restraint is the water level criteria set to protect the environment. (3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
(1) Yes. The process is that the Water and Rivers Commission determines how much water the Water Corporation can abstract. (2) No. The corporation applies to the Water and Rivers Commission for the maximum amount of ground water within the constraints set by regulations. In the case of the Gnangara mound, the primary restraint is the water level criteria set to protect the environment. (3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
(2) No. The corporation applies to the Water and Rivers Commission for the maximum amount of ground water within the constraints set by regulations. In the case of the Gnangara mound, the primary restraint is the water level criteria set to protect the environment. (3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
(3) The Water Corporation does not usurp the role of the Water and Rivers Commission, as is evident from the request for 167 gigalitres from the commission for 2003-04 and the commission’s allocation of 158 gigalitres.
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