Independent MP says she's intererested in NSW water transparency laws

NSW state politicians will have to declare the water licences they hold, and if they are involved in trading, under a National Party bill, passed by the state's Legislative Assembly.

That bill follows attempts by southern NSW independent politician, the Shooters and Fishers Party's Helen Dalton, to introduce her own legislation.

Ms Dalton sought to have politicians retrospectively declare a five-year history of their interests and water shares owned by their spouses.

Shepparton Independent MP Suzanna Sheed said she was taking a great interest in the progress of the legislation.

"I just want to see how it progresses," Ms Sheed said.

"Obviously, if it's a success there, does it lend itself to being replicated in Victoria?" Ms Sheed said.

If passed, the NSW Water Accountability and Transparency Bill would mean all 135 members of parliament would have to declare the type of licences they own, and if they traded water.

"This bill will address anger about water ownership and decision making in our communities, caused by mis-truths and conspiracy theories," NSW Water Minister Melinda Pavey said.

Ms Dalton moved to have politicians retrospectively declare a five-year history of water interests and any owned by their spouses.

She said she believed her bill was much more comprehensive than that put up by Ms Pavey.

"I think she (Ms Pavey) wants to be seen to be doing something, she's been dragged, kicking and screaming, to the parliament, to do this," Ms Dalton said.

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As an Independent MP, Ms Sheed said it would be hard to introduce a private members bill to parliament.

"Nevertheless, I have been looking into it and watching to see what happens, in NSW, before I go too far.

"It's conceivable I could work with an Upper House MP - they can introduce a bill, under Standing Orders.

"That could go some way to put it on the agenda, as an issue."

It was a strategy she said she would be looking to work on.

"As we all know, we have seen this play out in the Upper House" she said.

'A number of times, when a crossbencher introduces an important bill, the government will take it up themselves," she said.

She said MP's were meant to disclose their financial interests.

"I am having a close look at working with the Parliamentary Integrity Advisor to get his opinion on that level of disclosure."

She said total transparency would probably not be achieved, straight away.

'But it puts us on a path to see where the land lies," she said.

It would reveal foreign ownership, which big companies were investing, but not using, water, and if there was manipulation of the market.

"If we had full transparency, it wouldn't be hard to find out if MP's owned water."

Meanwhile, a Victorian government survey on water market transparency closes on June 30.

Community consultation held last year saw a desire for more publicly available information, about water ownership.

The Victorian Government said it understood the need for greater transparency in water markets and was seeking community feedback on the aspects of transparency that mattered most to them.

Following targeted stakeholder consultation, an options paper has been developed for public comment.

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning said options presented in the paper were not mutually exclusive, and several or all could be pursued.

They were selected because they addressed the main concerns raised in targeted community consultation.

The options are:

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