Senator ABETZ (Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) (2:36 PM) —I indicate that the government will be opposing both amendments. In relation to amendment (1), I draw the honourable senator’s attention to part 7 of the bill which is headed ‘Water information’. It deals with those issues quite comprehensively, I might say, and therefore we do not believe that there is any need for that to be included in the objects as well.

In relation to amendment (2), the matters proposed to be added are already included through paragraph 3(h)(i) at page 4, line 3, which provides for the collection of information about Australian water resources generally. ‘Water resource’ is then defined in clause 4 to include all components and ecosystems that contribute to the physical state and environmental value of the water resource. We believe that what Senator Siewert is saying is correct, but it is already all in there and therefore it is not necessary.