Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Bill 2023 [Provisions]

REPORT - November 2023

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Full Report (PDF)

Contents

Members

List of recommendations

Findings and Recommendations

Chapter 1 - Introduction

Purpose of the bill
Background to the bill
Key provisions of the bill
Amendments passed by the House of Representatives
Consultation
Financial implications
Human rights compatibility
Scrutiny of Bills Committee consideration
Structure of this report
Conduct of the inquiry
Acknowledgements

Chapter 2 - Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism projects

Contextual information
What are supply projects and what is the 605GL?
Key issues raised by submitters
Productivity Commission Interim Report findings
Committee view and recommendations
Next chapter

Chapter 3 - Buybacks

Introduction
Contextual information on buybacks
What the bill proposes to do
Opposition to buybacks
Support for buybacks
Ethical and other reasons to recover the water
Is the 450GL mandatory?
Should constraints be addressed before additional water recovery?
Concerns over flood risk associated with additional water recovery
Suggested alternatives to buybacks
Buybacks are the cheapest and most efficient method of recovery
Buyback concerns are not supported by credible evidence
Suggested protections
Decoupling the 450GL from the southern basin
Community adjustment packages
Over recovered water
The introduction of Held Environmental Water entitlements
Calls for audit of water recovery
Productivity Commission Interim Report findings
Committee view
Next chapter

Chapter 4 - Compliance

Introduction
Contextual information
What the bill proposes
Additional proposals to strengthen compliance arrangements
Productivity Commission Interim Report findings
Committee view
Next chapter

Chapter 5 - Water market reforms

Introduction
Recent reviews into water markets relevant to the bill
Measures in the bill to improve the transparency and integrity of water markets
Views on specific measures of the bill
Committee view

Chapter 6 - First Nations

Introduction
The Productivity Commission’s Interim Report
Recognition of First Nations’ water rights
First Nations water entitlements
Additional proposed amendments to the bill
Committee view and recommendations

Chapter 7 - Climate Change

Introduction
MDBA Basin Plan reviews
Findings of the Productivity Commission Interim Report
Submitter views on addressing the impacts of climate change
Committee view

Key Recommendations

Australian Greens' Additional Comments

Introduction
First Peoples Sovereign water rights
Community transition fund
A rights-based approach
Victoria
Conclusion

Senator David Pocock's Additional Comments

Canberra
Canberra

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