All water holdings should be on register, says Helen Dalton

Her comments follow the NSW Speaker’s decision to dismiss an anonymous National MP’s complaint about her in State Parliament last month.

The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP said before she introduced the first Bill in history that would force politicians to declare their water interests, an anonymous National MP tried to stop debate.

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She said the unnamed MP then reported her to the Speaker, requesting she be investigated by the ethics committee.

However, last Wednesday NSW Speaker and Liberal MP Jonathan O’Dea informed the house he found no precedents to uphold the complaint and he would not refer the matter to the ethics committee.

“This proves what a ridiculous stunt this was by the National Party,” Mrs Dalton said.

“They are terrified of a national water register, as are their corporate donors.

“So they will try anything they can to stop the debate from happening and stop my Bill from being passed.

“There’s no conflict of interest on my part – I’ve declared all my water interests.

“I wonder if this anonymous National Party MP has done so too?”

Mrs Dalton said everyone should declare their water interests so a proper discussion could be had about conflicts.

She said the names of all politicians and corporations, foreign and domestic, that owned water should be published on an online register.

“While the Speaker didn’t name the anonymous Nat, it is clear the Nats are after me,” Mrs Dalton said.

“Melinda Pavey threatened me in Parliament (on March 27) shouting, ‘You wait till you get caught out’.

“Well, I’m still waiting — I’ve done nothing wrong.

“The Nats can keep digging up my personal information, there’s nothing to find.”

Mrs Dalton said a national water register would be essential in exposing all the secret water holders in parliament and in business.

She said it was making a lot of people “very nervous” and described secrecy as “the mother of corruption”.

“We’ll never fix our water problems until we find out who owns it.

“I’d really like to see my Bill passed.

“The Nationals put out a media release saying they supported a water register.

“Let’s see if they put their money where their mouth is.”