[Greens-Media] Govt ignores evidence to retain National Water Commission

[Jegatheeswaran, Brami (Jegan) (Sen L. Rhiannon)]

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MEDIA RELEASE
25 November 2014

Govt ignores evidence to retain National Water Commission

The Liberal/National government has made a mockery of the Senate Inquiry into the National Water Commission (Abolition) Bill says Greens water spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon.

"The Coalition government is following their track record of riding roughshod over democracy in an attempt to have their legislation passed," said Senator Rhiannon.

"The government's report, released today, ignores the vast majority of submissions to the inquiry which supported the retention of the National Water Commission.

"Of the 32 submissions, only one fully supported the removal of the National Water Commission.

"While the government admits a wide range of concerns about the abolition of the National Water Commission, they included no recommendations to ameliorate the worst impacts of disbanding this important agency.

"The transfer of key National Water Commission functions to the Productivity Commission will result in the loss of expertise and is likely to create budget blow outs. Even the Productivity Commission has admitted that they would need to 'buy in' expertise.

"The government has not addressed the loss of policy leadership and the ongoing program of work that the National Water Commission currently undertakes, nor have they made any recommendation that would ensure ongoing stakeholder consultation.

"I now call on the Senate crossbench to do the job that the government has failed to do; to listen to the community and retain the National Water Commission," said Senator Rhiannon.

Link to report: http://tinyurl.com/ppka28c

Contact - Brami Jegan 0487 350 880

Brami Jegan
Communications | Strategy
for Australian Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon

72 Campbell Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
p: (02) 9211 9523 | m: 0487 350 880

http://lee-rhiannon.greensmps.org.au/

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