HANSARD
SITTING CALENDAR
SEARCH
LIVE BROADCAST
Hansard Dynamic Subject Index
Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-05-05 Daily Xml
Contents
Pdf Xml

WESTERN MOUNT LOFTY RANGES DRAFT WATER ALLOCATION PLAN

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (15:15): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Consumer Affairs, representing the Minister for Environment and Conservation, a question with regard to the Western Mount Lofty Ranges draft water allocation plan.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY: The National Water Initiative, to which South Australia is a signatory, provides the framework for a national water management plan incorporating water pricing, trading and regional water plans, amongst other things. The National Water Initiative describes water plans as:

statutory plans for surface and/or groundwater systems, consistent with the Regional Natural Resource Management Plans, developed in consultation with all relevant stakeholders on the basis of best scientific and socioeconomic assessment, to provide secure ecological outcomes and resource security for users.

The National Water Initiative also outlines the need to assess and consider socioeconomic impacts with regard to water planning and management of water.

I wholeheartedly support providing secure ecological outcomes and resource security for users; however, I am concerned that on 9 March 2011, when the minister organised a briefing for members of parliament to provide details on the draft Western Mount Lofty Ranges water allocation plan, it was discovered that socioeconomic factors had not been taken into consideration when developing the plan. My questions are:

1. How valid is a water allocation plan that ignores the guidelines and principles set out by the National Water Initiative?

2. Is the minister aware of any other parts of the National Water Initiative that have been ignored in the development of water allocation plans?

3. Is the minister comfortable with releasing a draft plan that does not take into account socioeconomic impacts?

4. Has the minister actually read the Western Mount Lofty Ranges water allocation plan; if so, and more importantly, did he understand it?

5. Will an assessment of socioeconomic impacts be conducted for future water allocation plans?

6. Given the divergence from this important guideline, will the minister now withdraw the draft plan?

7. Has a socioeconomic impact statement been provided on the recently announced Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges water allocation plan?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling) (15:17): I thank the honourable member for his most important questions, and will refer those to the relevant minister in another place and bring back a response. However, there are a few general comments I would like to make on this, because it is a very important area.

I have been advised that surface water, watercourses and groundwater resources in the Western Mount Lofty Ranges were prescribed back in October 2005. The prescription establishes a framework for the sustainable management of water resources and provides for more secure access to water for all water users, including the environment. The prescription of water resources in the Western Mount Lofty Ranges resulted from a number of technical assessments into the state and condition of water resources in the region, I am advised, and these assessments raised concerns about the impact of increasing demands for agricultural, industrial and domestic water supply. The assessments indicated that water resources may not meet future demand if unmanaged development continued.

The Mount Lofty Ranges water catchment area is vitally important to South Australia socially, economically and ecologically. The Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board has prepared a draft water allocation plan, to which the honourable member refers, for managing the allocation, transfer and use of available water. I am advised the draft plan is based on the best available science and takes into account community and industry advice and feedback. The draft plan must ensure sustainable environmental outcomes that balance environmental water provisions with water for development and other commercial use.

I am advised that three local water allocation plan advisory committees made up of community and industry members were established to engage local communities and provide advice to the board. The board also established key stakeholder groups to provide further input into the preparation of the draft plan. I am advised that these groups and committees have spent many hours going through each part of the draft plan and bringing to the table their knowledge of local areas and experience in running businesses that rely on water, and constantly considering the social, environmental and economic implications of every proposed policy, so I am advised, in the draft plan.

The notice of prohibition is currently in place to hold water use at current levels until the water allocation plan is adopted. I have been advised that extensive scientific and technical work has been undertaken by the board and the Department for Water to provide the information needed to make sound water allocation decisions. I am advised that the board undertook an initial round of community consultation to inform the development of the draft water allocation plan in late 2007.

I am advised that the board distributed over 2,500 information and discussion packs on topics including environmental water requirements, permits for new dams, well permits, forestry, aquifer storage and recovery, recycled and imported water and roof run-off. I understand that these information packs were followed up by five public meetings held across the region.

I am advised that the community and industry feedback gathered through this consultation process assisted in guiding and developing the draft plan, and I understand that the draft plan was subsequently released for community consultation on 13 October 2010, with 10 public meetings being held between 8 and 24 November. I am advised that all were well attended and were generally very positive. I understand that community consultation ended on 10 January 2011. I am advised that the board received 80 submissions during the statutory consultation period.

The board is currently reviewing these submissions and considering what changes should be made to the draft plan and, once this is complete, the board will forward the draft plan with the proposed amendments to the minister for consideration and, finally, adoption. I am advised that existing users will be issued with licences after the adoption of the plan. As can be seen from the advice that I have been given, indeed, the social, economic and environmental implications were in fact considered substantially throughout the development of this plan.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS
MEMBERS
GET INVOLVED
ABOUT PARLIAMENT
VISIT
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
CONTACT