RECENT changes to the state's leadership cabinet has prompted one Independent MP to call for a rethink of floodplain harvesting regulations.
Independent MP Justin Field is calling on NSW Water Minister Kevin Anderson, who took over the role from Oxley MP Melinda Pavey, to put recently enacted changes to the regulation on hold to gather more consultation with affected communities.
Coming into effect on Monday, the changes to the regulations were implemented by Mrs Pavey shortly before she was removed from the role and allow for new water entitlements along the state's Northern Basin, despite strong opposition.
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Mr Field, who led a successful disallowance motion to strike down changes to the regulations in the Legislative Council last May, said the changes had created exemptions to allow some rainfall runoff to be taken without a licence, as well as expand the criteria for dams to be eligible for floodplain harvesting entitlements, which could potentially increase floodplain harvesting take.
"In signing off these new regulations, Minister Pavey totally ignored the genuine community concern about diverting billions of litres of flood waters into massive dams across the Murray Darling Basin and thumbed her nose at previous decisions of the Legislative Council," Mr Field said.
"Now is the ideal time to press pause and have a rethink because there is heaps of water in the system and the dams are full.
"There is time to re-engage with stakeholders and have a better look at the findings of last year's Parliamentary Inquiry.
"Ultimately, the future of these regulations is up to Minister Anderson.
"However, if they are not withdrawn the Legislative Council will have an opportunity to consider whether these regulations should be allowed to stand when it sits later this month."
The Land contacted Mr Anderson's office for comment, however it did not receive a response before publication.
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Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
