2010

The Parliament of the

Commonwealth of Australia

THE SENATE

Presented and read a first time

Water (Crisis Powers and Floodwater Diversion) Bill 2010

No.      , 2010

(Senator Xenophon and Senator Hanson-Young)

A Bill for an Act to enable the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to manage the water resources of the Basin as a single system during periods of extreme crisis, and for related purposes

Contents

Part 1—Preliminary                                                                                                              1

1............ Short title............................................................................................. 1

2............ Commencement................................................................................... 2

3............ Objects................................................................................................ 2

4............ Constitutional basis for Act................................................................. 2

5............ Interaction with the Water Act............................................................. 3

6............ Inconsistent Commonwealth laws....................................................... 3

7............ Interpretation....................................................................................... 3

8............ Regulations......................................................................................... 4

Part 2—Declaration of period of extreme crisis                                                   5

9............ Extreme crisis...................................................................................... 5

10.......... Chief Executive’s advice..................................................................... 5

11.......... Advice to the Minister......................................................................... 6

12.......... Declaration of extreme crisis............................................................... 7

13.......... Declaration of end of crisis................................................................. 7

Part 3—Crisis powers                                                                                                           8

Division 1—Application, objects and effect of Part                                      8

14.......... Application of Part.............................................................................. 8

15.......... Objects of Part.................................................................................... 8

16.......... Effect of Part....................................................................................... 8

Division 2—Crisis powers and functions of Authority                                9

17.......... Authority to manage Basin water resources........................................ 9

18.......... Authority may suspend or vary agreements etc................................... 9

19.......... Powers of Authority in relation to implementation and compliance.. 10

20.......... General powers of Authority............................................................ 10

21.......... Matters to which Authority must have regard................................... 10

A Bill for an Act to enable the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to manage the water resources of the Basin as a single system during periods of extreme crisis, and for related purposes

The Parliament of Australia enacts: