Restrictions on Granting Water Extraction Licences for Aboriginal Water Reserves
Water Amendment (Aboriginal Water Reserves) Bill 2025
Topics
Aboriginal water reserves groundwater Indigenous affairs surface water water management water rights
Introduced by: The Hon Joshua Burgoyne MLA (CLP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Joshua Burgoyne CLP
“Madam Speaker, I present a Bill titled the Water Amendment (Aboriginal Water Reserves) Bill 2025, Serial 21. I move that the Bill be now read a first time. The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Water Act 1992 to improve the efficiency and administration of the Water Act and to ensure regulatory decisions can be made with respect to the Aboriginal water reserve.”
Chanston Paech ALP
“Madam Speaker, I move an amendment to omit all the words after ‘that’ and insert ‘the Bill be referred to the Legislative Scrutiny Committee for report by 7 May 2025’. The Environment minister spoke about the importance of water and how important it is for people to have a say. The government continues to say that it has met with people.”
Selena Uibo ALP
“Madam Speaker, we see an unhinged Chief Minister responding to a simple amendment put forward by the Member for Gwoja. The CLP was so proud to announce to everyone the return of the scrutiny committee, and the Labor opposition welcomed it. Mrs Finocchiaro: Of course you did, from opposition. Ms UIBO: Yes, from opposition. It is no secret that Labor lost the election; we all know that.”
Matthew Kerle CLP
“Madam Speaker, I support the Bill and oppose the Member for Gwoja’s amendment. When those opposite were in government they failed Indigenous Territorians. Domestic violence increased by 82% ... Ms Uibo: What are you doing now? You are failing Territorians because you do not want to listen. Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, for the most part your contribution was heard in silence.”
Tanzil Rahman CLP
“Madam Speaker, I will speak to the process, not the substance of what we are discussing. This is coming to a head repeatedly, with discussions regarding scrutiny and what should and should not be sent to a scrutiny committee. We are playing fast and loose with the Westminster system and what we should and should not do.”
Bill Yan CLP
“Madam Speaker, I support the Water Amendment (Aboriginal Water Reserves) Bill 2025. The Member for Gwoja might be an astronaut, because I am not sure he was on our planet during his speech. The hypocrisy from the Member for Gwoja beggars belief.”
“Madam Speaker, I heard the government say that this Bill will help Aboriginal people to access their water reserves for economic development, but I do not believe that there has been any consultation for these changes.”