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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-09-19 Daily Xml
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NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE: ANNUAL REPORT 2011-12

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (16:39): I move:

That the annual report of the Natural Resources Committee 2011-12 be noted.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: The year 2011-12 has seen a continuation of the membership appointed after the March 2010 state election, with the expanded membership of nine members. There was only one change; that is, I replaced the Hon. Paul Holloway MLC, following his retirement from parliament in September 2011. There were no changes to the staff during the year.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: Yes, I have been here a year. Aren't I lucky? In the reporting period, the Natural Resources Committee undertook 28 formal meetings totalling 85¼ hours and took evidence from 136 witnesses.

There were 14 reports drafted and tabled in the reporting period. These were the annual report for 2010-11, seven reports into the natural resources management levy proposals for 2012-13, the final report from the Bushfire Inquiry, the report on the committee's inquiry into the draft Murray-Darling Basin plan, the annual report on the Upper South East Dryland Salinity and Flood Management Act for 2010-11, two reports on fact-finding visits to Adelaide and the Mount Lofty Ranges and the Adelaide desalination plant and a report on Little Penguins, which I know the Hon. Rob Brokenshire is very keen on.

Seven fact-finding tours were undertaken in 2011-12. Three related to the committee's Murray-Darling Basin draft plan inquiry, including a tour of the Lower Lakes, Coorong and the Upper South-East drainage and floodplain management scheme, there was one in the Mitcham Hills to observe bushfire preparation, one in the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM region, one to the Adelaide Desalination Plant and one to Port Lincoln to take evidence for the committee's inquiry into the Eyre Peninsula water supply.

The committee's inquiry into the draft Murray-Darling Basin plan was finalised in March 2012 with the tabling of its report and the forwarding of it to the Murray-Darling Basin Authority as the committee's submission to the draft plan. The inquiry concluded that insufficient water is proposed to be returned to the basin under the draft plan. It also concluded that the draft plan failed to acknowledge South Australia's past efforts in capping water use compared to other states.

The committee commenced a new inquiry into the Eyre Peninsula water supply in 2012 after considering evidence from the member for Flinders, Mr Peter Treloar. The local community has for a number of years raised concerns that the underground water is not being properly managed and that a series of mining ventures may further stress water supply. This inquiry is likely to continue for approximately 12 months.

I commend the members of the committee—Presiding Member the Hon. Steph Key MP, Mr Geoff Brock MP, the Hon. Robert Brokenshire MLC, the Hon. John Dawkins MLC, Mrs Robyn Geraghty MP, Mr Lee Odenwalder MP, Mr Don Pegler MP, and Mr Dan van Holst Pellekaan MP—for their contributions. Finally, I thank the parliamentary staff for their assistance. I commend this report to the Legislative Council.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. T.J. Stephens.

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