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Chapter 1
Introduction
Terms of Reference
1.1
On 27 August 2008, the following matter was referred to the Senate
Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport for inquiry and
report by 30 September 2008:
- the volume of water which could be
provided into the Murray-Darling system to replenish the Lower Lakes and
Coorong;
- options for sourcing and
delivering this water, including:
- possible incentive and
compensation schemes for current water holders who participate in a once-off
voluntary contribution of water to this national emergency,
- alternative options for the
acquisition of sufficient water,
- likely transmission losses and the
most efficient and effective strategies to manage the delivery of this water,
- Commonwealth powers to obtain and
deliver water and possible legislative or regulative impediments, and
- assessment of the potential
contribution of bring forward Australian Governments agreement to deliver water
to save the Coorong and lower lakes
- the impact of any water buybacks
on rural and regional communities and Adelaide including compensation and structural adjustment; and
- any other related matters.
1.2
On 28 August 2008, the Senate referred the Emergency Water
(Murray-Darling Basin Rescue) Bill 2008 to the committee for consideration in
conjunction with the above matter.
Scope
1.3
The inquiry is divided into two sections, the first covering the
immediate problems facing the Coorong and Lower Lakes, the second addressing
broader management issues across the Murray-Darling Basin. Although matters of relevance
to the second phase of the inquiry have been raised, this report focuses on the
first phase.
Conduct of the Inquiry
1.4
Following the referral of the inquiry, the committee advertised the
references in The Australian on 3 September 2008. The committee received
84 submissions from state and federal government departments, key organisations
and stakeholder groups and individuals. A list of written submissions is
included at appendix 1.
1.5
The committee held public hearings in Adelaide on 10 September 2008 and in Canberra on 9, 18, 19 and 26 September 2008. It heard evidence from a number
of witnesses, including representatives from the relevant Federal, Queensland,
South Australian and New South Wales Departments, farmers' and irrigators'
groups, the Australian Conservation Foundation, local councils and residents;
and technical experts. A complete list of the witnesses who appeared at the
hearings is included at appendix 2. The Hansard transcripts of the committee's
hearings are available on the Parliament's homepage at http://www.aph.gov.au.
Acknowledgements
1.6
The committee appreciates the time and work of all those who provided
oral and written submissions to the inquiry, particularly given the short
timeframe for the inquiry. Their work has assisted the committee considerably.
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