Mrs Dalton’s bill — the Water Management Amendment (Transparency of Water Rights) Bill 2020 — was one of three that were the subject of a parliamentary inquiry held last week.
Others were the NSW Government’s counter bill on water accountability and transparency, and what has come to be known as the Drought of Record Bill.
Mrs Dalton’s bill would force politicians to declare their water interests, and create a searchable online water register.
‘‘Former National Party water ministers Kevin Humphries and Katrina Hodgkinson, current water minister Melinda Pavey, Griffith Mayor John Dal Broi, New South Wales Farmers and the New South Wales Irrigators Council were among those who fronted the inquiry,’’ Mrs Dalton said.
‘‘All the above mentioned groups and politicians were united in their opposition to my bill. Some called it a waste of time. Others called it an invasion of privacy. But they all seem to want my bill to disappear.
‘‘A water register would expose the Sydney traders and foreign companies who own water. Not farmers.
‘‘We already have to land register. But a water register seems to terrify a lot of powerful people.’’
Water researcher Maryanne Slattery and Southern Riverina Irrigators vice chair Darcy Hare were among the few who expressed support for Mrs Dalton bill.
Speak Up Campaign was unable to take part in the live hearings, but provided a submission.
It presented, through Mrs Dalton, 11,000 signatures on a water transparency petition and is now calling on the NSW Government to ‘‘get fair dinkum’’ with this challenging issue.
Its chair Shelley Scoullar said political posturing has been stopping the passage of effective legislation that will ensure the right level of accountability and transparency in water ownership is achieved.
She said a government Water Accountability and Transparency Bill, which it wants as a replacement to the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers’ bill, was too limited as it only effectively applies to Members acting in their personal capacity.
‘‘This does not go far enough if we want to achieve the goals of genuine accountability around water ownership,’’ Mrs Scoullar said.
‘‘We collected 11,000 signatures calling for a water registry because people want change. They are fed up with politicians who are not prepared to make common-sense changes to water policy.
‘‘They want transparency around water ownership and they want it retrospective. We have had too many poor water policy decisions, and this coupled with lack of action to correct them makes no sense, unless politicians and those they are protecting are trying to avoid genuine transparency.
‘‘The losers in the water policy debacle that we are dealing with are the staple food producers that Australia relies on. The winners are those who are trying to make huge profits at the expense of those who are growing our food.
‘‘We know the problem exists and we know it needs to be fixed. It is time proactive steps were taken so this is achieved.’’
Mrs Scoullar added that for the water registry to be effective it needs to extend beyond ownership by a Member of Parliament in their personal capacity.
‘‘At the very least it must include their family and business interests, as well as those involved in water policy and advocacy,’’ she said.
