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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-04-02 Daily Xml
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WATER RESOURCES

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop) (15:22): Can the Premier confirm that we will continue with the current water arrangements and water restrictions—

The Hon. K.O. Foley interjecting:

Mr WILLIAMS: It is important to a lot of people, Kevin. Premier, can you confirm that we will continue with the current water arrangements and water restrictions until at least 2011, when it is proposed that a new water plan will be in place, or do we need to wait until 2019 when Victoria's plan expires? The memorandum of understanding signed by the Premier on 26 March provides for a basin plan to be completed by 2011, but it also states that the commonwealth agrees to honour all existing water resource plans in all jurisdictions, including Victoria's plans, which continue until 2019.

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) (15:23): It was made patently clear last week, yesterday and indeed today in a ministerial statement. Some people say, 'Oh, the basin plan, which is going to be prepared by 2011, which is a whole basin-wide plan that includes not only a cap but—'

Mr Williams interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: You asked a question; do you want me to answer it or not?

Mr Williams interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: You want me to answer the question. The point of the matter is that not only does the authority have the power to do what John Howard wanted, what I wanted, and what the Leader of the Opposition called for, suddenly there is a basin-wide plan that, for the first time, covers groundwater (which it never has before)—including issues such as groundwater usage, diversions, and a whole range of things—but that, as well, covers a whole range of activities that can be funded under the $10 billion plan and that can occur before the basin-wide plan. I think that was made patently clear last week, but there are some people who were obviously too slow to either listen or learn.

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