SOUTHERN FORESTS
IRRIGATION SCHEME
501. Hon DIANE EVERS to the Minister for Regional Development:
I
refer to the minister's response to my question without notice 405
asked in the Legislative Council on 7 May 2019 about the proposed
southern forests irrigation scheme.
(1) What proportion of water contract applications are
from parties who are not landholders in the SFIS region, and are any of
these parties publicly listed companies or owned by publicly listed companies?
(2) Will the
minister detail the total volume of water in contract applications submitted by
Blue Sky companies, including Blue Sky Water Partners, Blue Sky Water Fund,
Blue Sky Alternative Investments or other parties related to any of these; and,
if not, why not?
(3) Will local
landholders participating in the SFIS have the right to sell their water
allocation to parties who are not landholders in the SFIS region?
(4) Will it be
possible for participants who are not landholders in the SFIS region to profit
from the scheme by selling their water allocation?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question.
(1) All water
contracts are with landholders that are within the southern forests irrigation
scheme region. No parties that are publicly listed companies or owned by
publicly listed companies have water contracts with the SFIS.
(2) No water contracts have been
purchased by Blue Sky companies.
(3) Landholders
can sell or trade water only to other landholders connected to the scheme and
who are a members of the Southern Forests Irrigation Co-operative.
(4) In addition to the above, the
cooperative rules require a member to hold land within the SFIS region.