NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE: LEVY PROPOSALS 2012-13

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (16:45): I move:

That the reports of the Natural Resources Committee on the Natural Resources Management Board Levy Proposals, 2012-13, for Eyre Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, Northern and Yorke, South Australian Murray-Darling Basin, South Australian Arid Lands, and South East, be noted.

As I said earlier, one of the roles of the Natural Resources Committee is to consider and make recommendations on levies proposed by natural resources management boards where the increases exceed the annual CPI increase.

I wish to thank all those who gave their time to assist the committee during its consideration of the levy proposals for 2012-13. Of the seven proposed increases in division 1 land-based levies for 2012-13, only two were significantly higher than the CPI rate which, for the current financial year, was assessed as 4 per cent. Only one of the two division 2 water levy proposals was significantly higher than the CPI. Overall the committee is pleased to see the various NRM boards generally showing restraint when it comes to proposing levy increases.

Considering the above CPI levy increases presented challenges for the committee. Whilst members were sympathetic to the desires of the NRM boards to increase their funding bases, members believe that, in principle, the above CPI increases should be the exception rather than the rule. In this instance the committee has determined not to object to all of the division 1 and 2 levies, with the exception of the division 1 levy for the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board as we have just noted.

Every year the committee aims to visit at least two of the NRM regions to meet with the NRM boards, their staff and volunteers in their natural environment. This year, committee members were fortunate to visit Mannum as part of our inquiry into the Murray-Darling Basin plan. Members appreciated the assistance of the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin NRM Board as well as the Mid Murray Council in arranging a number of visits and meetings with local residents, landholders and traditional owners. This visit, although short in duration, provided us with valuable information for our inquiry.

The committee is also looking forward to visiting the Eyre Peninsula NRM region. We have already held one hearing on a matter before us to collect evidence for our inquiry into the Eyre Peninsula water supplies. The committee has received a large number of submissions—I think it has actually just increased to 58—and we have heard from 14 witnesses so far, including the Eyre Peninsula NRM Board.

Members look forward to learning much more about the challenges of managing water resources on the Eyre Peninsula and welcome the assistance of the Eyre Peninsula NRM Board with the visit to their region. The committee also hopes to be able to fit in a visit to the Alinytjara Wilurara NRM region later in the year if funds and time permit. Unfortunately, a proposed visit to the region last year had to be cancelled.

I commend the members of the committee for their contributions, in particular the Presiding Member, the Hon. Steph Key, who does a marvellous job in containing us all, and Mr Geoff Brock, the Hon. Robert Brokenshire, the Hon. John Dawkins, Mrs Robyn Geraghty, Mr Lee Odenwalder, Mr Don Pegler and Mr Dan van Holst Pellekaan. Finally, I thank members of the parliamentary staff for their assistance. I commend the report to the council.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (16:50): In supporting the noting of this report, I will be very brief. I thank the Hon. Mr Kandelaars for the manner in which he has summed up the efforts of the committee. I also add that, in addition to his mention of the visit to the Murraylands, Mannum and Murray Bridge with the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin NRM Board, combining that with our inquiry into the Murray-Darling Basin Authority plan, we also combined that work when we went to the Riverland and even when we went to the Lower Lakes and the Upper South-East. I think it is possible for the committee to combine its work in dealing with the various boards and their work and other inquiries we are charged with.

As the Hon. Mr Kandelaars alluded to, when we return to Eyre Peninsula to do more field work than we were able to do on our last trip, while we will concentrate on the Eyre Peninsula water resources inquiry there is also the opportunity to see in action the works of the Eyre Peninsula Natural Resources Management Board.

In saying that, I must stress the importance of the committee having the ability to make these visits in a way that allows us to comprehensively see the work that goes on out in those regions, particularly when it comes to areas such as the South Australian Arid Lands NRM Board and (I will not be as courageous as the Hon. Mr Kandelaars and try to pronounce it ) the AW NRM Board, which covers the Aboriginal lands. We need time and the necessary funding to allow us to travel and to travel in a manner that lets us look at things in greater detail. I stress that that is something that needs to be considered in terms of the committee furthering its work.

Having said that, I enjoy the work of the Natural Resources Committee of this parliament. I think we deal with some excellent people who are doing terrific work. As I said in my previous remarks, all the boards need to make sure that they do not develop their bureaucracy too much and that they maintain their work out on the ground that we all need to see for the benefit for South Australia. We support the work they do and the large number of volunteers who support them in those communities. With those words, I commend this report to the council.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (16:54): I will just sum up quickly. I thank the Hon. John Dawkins for his contribution and I think he has raised some very important issues. The Natural Resources Committee, as I understand it, is the largest of the parliamentary committees, with nine members. It desires to be a hands-on committee and, to do that effectively, it needs to have the resources to be able to go and visit the natural resources boards in their own environment. I commend the motion to the house.

Motion carried.