MURRAY-DARLING BASIN

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop) (15:15): My question is the Premier. Given that clause 45 of the memorandum of understanding on the Murray-Darling rules out the referral of state powers to the commonwealth, is it not fact that the states will, therefore, retain their existing veto powers?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (15:15): Can I once again explain this to the honourable member. He just cannot read the MOU. What we have done is basically reach agreement, which, by the way, the Leader of the Opposition called on me to sign and to get Brumby in a headlock—

The Hon. K.O. Foley: It's like groundhog day.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: It is; it is like groundhog day in here, just constant repetition. What it means is that what we wanted to stop was a ministerial council where every state could veto each other, which has effectively ruined any chance of reform over the last 50 or 60 years. We are replacing that with an independent commission that has the ability to set caps, that has the ability to determine and implement and develop a basin-wide plan, and also reports directly to a federal minister.

What we have said, of course, is that if that federal minister acts against the advice of the independent experts, then he or she has to go into the parliament and explain why. What happens in terms of the ministerial council is that it becomes an advisory council. If the federal minister, on advice, makes a decision and the states are unhappy about that, they can then appeal for reconsideration. But ultimately the buck stops with the federal minister, advised by the independent commission.