LAKE EYRE BASIN

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (15:07): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Will the minister inform the council about the recent meeting of the Lake Eyre Basin Ministerial Forum?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:07): I thank the member for his most surprising question. It is not the one I was expecting, but then the Hon. Michelle Lensink asked that one. I have spoken at great length in this place about the need to ensure that Australia as a nation does not repeat mistakes made with the Murray-Darling Basin in the Lake Eyre Basin. This government's fight to ensure upstream states listen to the needs of their communities and that the rights of South Australia are protected is progressing full steam ahead.

I am pleased to inform the chamber that, last week, I attended the 11^th meeting of the Lake Eyre Basin Ministerial Forum, along with representatives from Queensland, the Northern Territory and the commonwealth government. This meeting was long overdue and something that I, on behalf of South Australia, have been requesting in response to Queensland's proposed changes to the Cooper Creek and Georgina and Diamantina Wild River declarations. This meeting was also requested in response to the worrying plans of the Queensland government to alter water licence conditions on their side of the border to attract more irrigators into the region.

It is extremely disappointing that it took repeated requests, calls to the media, public pressure from around the country and the calling of a ministerial forum for the Queensland government to even discuss their plans with us. Thankfully, Queensland finally came to the party—somewhat dragged to the party, I should say—and presented a preliminary briefing on their proposed changes to the ministerial forum.

Most importantly, we also heard advice from the Lake Eyre Basin Community Advisory Committee and the Lake Eyre Basin Scientific Advisory Panel, who have also been vocal in their concerns about the Queensland government's proposals. Of key concern to South Australia is that Queensland is continuing to state that its proposed changes to water licensing will have little or no change from the current situation; however, the government, the community advisory panel and the scientific advisory panel believe there are very legitimate concerns about that statement.

Queensland's proposal to break up sleeper licences, such as those in the Cooper Creek catchment area, under this framework has the potential to increase their take by almost 10,000 megalitres, and that is more than double the current take. This is of great concern for a number of reasons. Some of those reasons that we heard at the forum include: the potential reduction of flows downstream; reduced groundwater recharge; and, impact on base-level flows into the Lake Eyre Basin needed to remain a healthy and functioning system.

Queensland has now agreed to provide data and modelling on its proposals. Again, my officials have been trying to extract that data, that scientific information, from Queensland, to no avail until I actually asked the minister, point blank, for it at the forum, and they have now agreed to provide that data and the modelling on their proposals, which we hope will allow us to properly assess any impact on the Lake Eyre Basin in South Australia.

I can give the commitment that South Australia will not remain silent on this issue if there are adverse cross-border impacts. We have always maintained that policy decisions must be based on the best available science, and we will continue to pressure Queensland to provide us with the science behind its proposals, so that we can ensure those proposals will not adversely impact on this state.

We have seen the impact of such reduced flows into the state before. We saw it with the Murray-Darling Basin, and it is imperative we do not see it in the Lake Eyre Basin. Many communities and many forms of industry rely on this natural resource for their prosperity, and the environment itself of Central Australia relies heavily on these flows as if it was their lifeblood.

That is why I again urge all members in this place to take up the fight with us, just like the member in the other place, the member for Stuart, Mr Dan van Holst Pellekaan, has done, and the Hon. Mr Parnell has done, I think last night in this chamber, putting the state first and standing up to those Eastern States MPs who just will not abide any entitlements of water coming across their borders.

I am also pleased to advise that at the ministerial forum ministers agreed to the appointment of Dr Justin Costelloe and the reappointment of Professor Richard Kingsford on the scientific advisory panel. Ministers also agreed to the reappointment of Ms Brenda Shields to the community advisory committee. Queensland needs to heed the advice of the scientific and community advisory panels in considering any proposal that affects the Lake Eyre Basin, and this government will continue to fight to ensure that happens.

When I asked the Queensland minister whether he would undertake to have on-the-ground consultation—in Queensland, not in South Australia—with the impacted communities around Longreach, the pastoralist community and the Aboriginal communities, he said, no, he would not. I think that is an appalling situation. As I said, South Australia will not remain silent. If there are adverse cross-border impacts, we will be agitating and standing up for this state, and I encourage all honourable members to join us and do the same.