WATER — FITZROY VALLEY
6. Hon ROBIN SCOTT to the Minister for Regional
Development:
I
refer to the Fitzroy River in the Kimberley and data that shows that since 21 December
2020 more than 15 000 gigalitres of
water has flowed over the Fitzroy River Barrage. That amount of water is the
equivalent of more than 28 Sydney
Harbours. A fraction of that water could be used to develop industry operations
in the Fitzroy Valley.
(1) What steps is
the government taking to identify how much surface water could sustainably be
taken from the Fitzroy River each year?
(2) What is the
government's response to wide allegations that its policy is holding
back the people of the Fitzroy Valley?
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN
replied:
I thank the member for his question. I hope that when the
member is talking about the people of the Fitzroy Valley, he is actually encompassing that whole community,
because, as members will be aware, a very significant population of
Aboriginal people have strong and profound ties to that land, and very firm
aspirations for that area.
(1)–(2)
Over the last four years, the government
has, in fact, been doing a huge amount of work to determine a safe level of surface flow that could be taken from the
Fitzroy River, bearing in mind all the different aspirations. This is a valley
not just for billionaires; it is a valley for a whole heap of people. Complex
environmental considerations need to be taken into account together with
economic development opportunities, which we do not deny are there. As we
speak, the ministerial council has put out for community consultation a water
plan that suggests a take of around 300 gigalitres per year. We are consulting
on that. However, the extreme wet weather this season has meant that we have
not been able to get out to many of those communities over the past four
months, so that consultation will probably now go until the end of August. We
will then come back and review it and make a decision on the way forward. We
absolutely understand there is an economic opportunity, but we want to make
sure that that economic opportunity is shared by all within the valley.