WATER RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
— FITZROY CATCHMENT
447. Hon JIM CHOWN to the Minister for Regional Development:
In 2018, the CSIRO study ''Northern
Australia Water Resource Assessment'' made recommendations for increased
water allocation in the Fitzroy Valley.
(1) Does the
McGowan government intend to adopt the recommendations from CSIRO for increased
water allocation in the Fitzroy Valley, as it indicated to stakeholders during
consultation?
(2) Does the government intend to
make the first allocation to native title holders?
(3) If yes to
(2), what will that allocation amount be and will this water allocation to
native title holders allow them to sell the allocation to a third party?
(4) Is it true
that no further water allocations will be allowed until the native title holder
allocation has been fully expended?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question.
(1)–(4) I
am sure the member has been following this closely and he would be well aware
that we have said over and again that we will
not be entertaining a 1 700 gigalitre water allocation from the Fitzroy Valley.
We are considering all relevant studies that will inform our
decision-making. As the member is well aware, there are a broad range of views
on the development of the Fitzroy catchment, and we are trying to establish
some common ground. We do think that there is considerable merit in the concept
of a strategic Aboriginal water reserve, which would aim to support economic
growth aspirations of Aboriginal people in the Kimberley, who I think
constitute around 60 per cent of the population. Consultation on the government's
Fitzroy River commitments is currently on hold as the state government, Aboriginal community and other
stakeholders give full attention to the COVID-19 response. The member
would be well aware of the biosecurity zone around the Kimberley, but we look forward to getting these moving again in the second
half of the year. We look forward to advancing the dialogues so we can
come to a landing on this.