MEMBER for Murray Helen Dalton says she is willing to compromise with the NSW Government after her Bill to create a public water register was voted down this week.
The NSW Lower House on Thursday rejected the Bill, which would have forced politicians to declare their water interests and create an online public register of all individuals and corporations holding state water entitlements.
This followed the Upper House passing the same Bill – with Labor, The Greens, One Nation, SFF and independents supporting it on Wednesday.
All Liberals and Nationals opposed the Bill in both houses.
“We urgently need a transparent water register,” Mrs Dalton said.
“I’d be more than happy to sit down with the NSW Water Minister and work out what sort of water register they’d be willing to accept.
“The Nationals say a public water register will hurt small mum-and-dad farmers by exposing them to attacks by animal rights activists.
“I don’t agree. But if the Nats truly believe this, why not amend my Bill rather than just kill it?”
Mrs Dalton said a water register could at least be considered for those who owned more than 5000 megalitres of water.
She said transparency was needed concerning big corporates “buying water, manipulating prices and making a profit”.
“Because The Nationals killed this bill, it means Cayman Island companies and foreign governments can continue to buy our water, while keeping their identity secret — surely nobody wants this to continue?
“I’m happy for NSW Government to take elements of my Bill and use them to create a genuine public water register. I’d support them.”
Mrs Dalton said she had written many letters to the NSW Water Minister offering to work on solutions.
However, she said she hadn’t received a response.
Mrs Dalton said revelations this week that big foreign water speculators were using NSW Government environmental water accounts to store water and save money highlighted the urgency of the situation.
“We need to lift the lid on these dodgy, secret deals,” she said.
