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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-10-16 Daily Xml
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LAKE EYRE BASIN

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport) (12:09): I move:

That this house—

(a) recognises the significance of Lake Eyre to South Australia's Aboriginal, pastoral and tourism communities and its dependence on water flows from the Cooper Creek, Diamantina and Georgina rivers;

(b) expresses concern that the Queensland government has continued to refuse to consult with South Australia and other affected states regarding their plans to remove the legislative environmental protections of the Lake Eyre Basin rivers;

(c) calls on the Queensland government to maintain the current quantity and quality of water flows from the Lake Eyre Basin rivers into South Australia's rivers flood plains and wetlands in the Lake Eyre Basin; and

(d) calls on the Queensland government to formally consult with South Australia, as a co-signatory to the Lake Eyre Basin Intergovernmental Agreement, regarding any proposal which has the potential to impact flows into our state.

The Lake Eyre Basin is one of the world's last unregulated river systems and a place of true wilderness. To those who live and work in the region it is an area of beauty and mystery. Its waters sustain pastoral and mining industries, and it is of great importance to Central Australia's tourism industry and, most importantly, it is a crucial ecosystem for the whole of Australia. Its rapid change in periods of high rain, from arid and almost silent outback desert to flourishing waterholes and great lakes filled with a cacophony of different bird life, is one of our nation's most amazing natural phenomena.

In terms of governance, the Lake Eyre Basin is managed through the Lake Eyre Basin Intergovernmental Agreement, an agreement that promotes and recommends consultation amongst all states that draw upon and rely upon the basin as a natural resource. Many members will know that the former Queensland government initiated the wild rivers declarations to protect this unique area, a positive step in the protection of this asset. However, the current Queensland government does not support the existing wild rivers declarations for the Cooper Creek, Georgina and Diamantina basins and is developing an alternative framework for the protection of the western rivers.

It has also recently been reported that minister Cripps will introduce tradeability for two large existing water licences that have until this time been unable to be fully utilised in the Cooper Creek. Until the detail of all the proposals outlined by minister Cripps is released, it cannot be guaranteed that there will be no effect on South Australia. In South Australia, having experienced just what 'going it alone' by upstream states meant in the Murray-Darling Basin, all of us in this place and beyond should be concerned about what this proposal by Queensland will mean. This vast region has a range of natural, social and economic values which make it not only vital to the livelihoods of local communities but also of great national importance.

The Cooper Creek, Georgina and Diamantina basins feed directly into South Australia, and any proposal that could affect the water quality of environmental status of these basins will directly affect the water quality or environmental status of South Australia. Again, I urge all members to closely consider what this will actually mean. Lake Eyre has great significance to South Australia's Aboriginal, pastoral and tourist communities and, as I said earlier, the basin and these economies are dependent on water flows from the Cooper Creek, Diamantina and Georgina rivers.

It is an area rich in Aboriginal heritage, and the region has continuing significance for the culture and wellbeing of the descendants of the early Aboriginal groups. This was recognised by the agreements to use the ancient name of Kati Thanda in late 2012, and it has been reinforced by our state's approach with the traditional owners of the area, such as the Arabana, where we have promoted co-management of parks and/or Aboriginal-owned reserves.

I do not need to tell anyone here that tourism, mining, pastoralism and the service industries generate significant economic contributions to the regional, state and national economies. In terms of environmental significance, the South Australian portion of the Lake Eyre Basin includes the Ramsar-listed Coongie Lakes wetland system. This mosaic of lakes is one of Australia's most spectacular natural attractions, and in 2005 the South Australian government declared the Coongie Lakes National Park in recognition of the importance of the area.

The proposals outlined by the Queensland minister to remove the wild rivers protection, and to increase the credibility of existing irrigation licences, would potentially alter natural water flows, impacting on the landscapes, communities and economic activities in South Australia. The Lake Eyre Basin Intergovernmental Agreement is a joint undertaking of the Australian, Queensland, South Australian and Northern Territory governments, made in close consultation with the basin community together with the assistance of world-class scientific and technical advice.

The purpose of the agreement is to ensure the sustainability of the Lake Eyre Basin river systems and, in particular, to avoid or eliminate cross-border impacts. The Queensland government is yet to formally consult with South Australia and the other jurisdictions as cosignatories to the Lake Eyre Basin Intergovernmental Agreement regarding their proposal, and this is, quite simply, poor form.

My colleague in the other place, the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, the Hon. Ian Hunter MLC, will no doubt address these topics and more but, as I understand it, the Queensland minister has said that he will introduce a mechanism to allow existing irrigation licences that have until this time been unable to be used for irrigation in the lower Cooper Creek to be broken up and traded upstream for irrigation.

Currently, 7,000 megalitres taken from Queensland Cooper Creek for town water supplies, stock and domestic and industrial irrigation each year. A mechanism to allow trading of the existing irrigation licences could allow a further 10,000 megalitres to be used from the Cooper Creek each year.

In intermittent rivers such as the Cooper Creek, deep waterholes in the river channel serve as refuges for life during the long intervals between flows. Small and medium flows are critical for the maintenance of the waterholes and the survival of life. The more water that is taken up higher in the catchment, the less likely the small and medium flows will reach South Australia and Coongie Lakes.

My colleague in the other place has written to both the Hon. Andrew Powell MP (Queensland Minister for Environment and Protection Heritage) and the Hon. Andrew Cripps (Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines) outlining South Australia's concerns around the proposed amendments and requesting further information. I am told the responses he has received to date have been unsatisfactory.

The Hon. Ian Hunter has also publicly called on the Queensland government to consult with South Australia, as a signatory to the Lake Eyre Basin Intergovernmental Agreement, on any proposal that would impact on South Australia.

Queensland has chosen not to consult South Australia and has not provided any information to show that there will not be cross-border impacts. In particular, no evidence has been provided that the small to medium flows will not be altered by this decision to allow the irrigation licences to be traded upstream. Therefore, until the detail on all the proposals outlined by the Queensland minister is released, no-one in this place can be certain that there would be no effect on South Australia and the environmental health of this catchment.

Debate adjourned on motion of Dr McFetridge.

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