10 Nov 2016
WWF-AUSTRALIA WELCOMES NEW WATER LAWS IN QUEENSLAND
WWF-Australia today welcomed the reinstatement of laws to stop exclusive access rights to water for mines and dams in Queensland.
The Environmental Protection (Underground Water Management) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016 and the amended Water Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 were passed by the Queensland Parliament in the early hours of this morning.
It fulfils an election commitment by the Queensland Government to repeal changes made by the previous state government which were due to take effect next month.
“These laws will help ensure that water is managed sustainably and that all water users and the environment will be treated equally,” said WWF-Australia spokesperson Sean Hoobin.
“It addresses concerns that rivers, and aquifers, especially in Great Barrier Reef catchments, could have vast amounts of water removed without proper assessments, harming the environment.
“However, an amendment that exempts the Carmichael mine and other projects in a similar position is at odds with the broader reforms,” he said.