The House ofRepresentatives Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy hascommenced an inquiry intothe management and use of Commonwealth environmental water.
The inquiry will examine the role of CommonwealthEnvironmental Water Holder in determining how environmental water should beused, and also consider how the impact of environmental watering is monitoredand evaluated.
The Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder is anindependent statutory position established to manage Commonwealth environmentalwater for the purpose of protecting or restoring environmental assets.
Since its establishment, the Commonwealth EnvironmentalWater Holder has become the largest single holder of water entitlements in theMurray-Darling Basin.
The Chair of the Committee, Mr Andrew Broad MP, said theinquiry is an opportunity to understand how environmental water has beenmanaged to date and to identify opportunities to improve the use ofenvironmental water into the future.
"Rivers, floodplains, and wetlands are cornerstones of theAustralian environment and support economic activity in regional communitiesacross the country. Environmental water has an important role in ensuring that Australia’sriver systems are sustained in the long term," Mr Broad said.
"In launching this inquiry, the Committee is keen tounderstand how the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder makes decisionsabout when and where to use environmental water, and to examine how the waterholder to taps into local knowledge and uses the latest science in order toachieve genuine long-term environmental outcomes," Mr Broad said.
"The Committee is not inquiring into the broaderMurray–Darling Basin Plan, and we are not looking to duplicate the work alreadyunderway in this area. Our focus is on Commonwealth environmental water,"Mr Broad said.
The Deputy Chair of the Committee, Mr Pat Conroy MP, explained theCommittee would also seek to ensure that environmental water is usedefficiently.
"Commonwealth environmental waterholdings represent a significant investment by the Australian public in our naturalenvironment. As part of this inquiry, the Committee will examine the integrity ofthe management of environmental water and seek to ensure that environmental wateris used efficiently and for the purpose for which it was acquired,"Mr Conroy said. ---
