Inquiry into Water Licensing and Services

Inquiry status:

Past

Date commenced:

24 Oct 2007

Tabling date:

28 Feb 2008

Deadline for submissions:

07 Dec 2007

Date Ended:

28 Feb 2008

Committee

Economics and Industry Committee (2005 - 2008)

House:

Legislative Assembly

Important Information:

All submissions become the property of the Committee and will become public documents after tabling in the Legislative Assembly, unless the Committee resolves otherwise. The Committee can also resolve to publish submissions on the internet but has undertaken not to publish the personal contact details of people making submissions in this manner. Anyone seeking to make a confidential submission to the Committee should seek further information from the Committee’s Principal Research Officer prior to making their submission.

Terms of Reference:

Terms of Reference:

That the Economics and Industry Standing Committee inquire into and report by 28 February 2008 on:

1. the benefits to, cost to and imposts on irrigators, industry, community and environment of a licensing system for the taking of water from groundwater or stream flow;
2. the full cost incurred by the Department of Water for administration of the current water licence system;
3. the extent to which the water licence administration fees meet cost recovery requirements the National Water Initiative (NWI) places on the State with respect to services delivered to water users;
4. the penalty or cost that might be applied to Western Australia by the Commonwealth under the NWI, if there was minimal or no cost recovery for services provided to water users by the Department of Water;
5. whether water licences and/or licence administration fees should be required for taking water under arrangements that are currently exempt; for example, residential bores drawing from an unconfined aquifer;
6. what recognition needs to be given to the cost incurred by landholders in harvesting water, including dam construction costs; and
7. the extent to which the NWI provides for a range of different licensing systems.

The members of the Committee are the Member for Yokine (Hon Mr Bob Kucera, MLA), Chair; the Member for Greenough (Mr Grant Woodhams, MLA), Deputy Chair; the Member for Maylands (Dr Judy Edwards, MLA); the Member for Collie (Mr Michael Murray, MLA); and the Member for Serpentine/Jarrahdale (Mr Tony Simpson, MLA).

Submission Number	Submitting person/organisation
	Western Australian Local Government Association received on 21 Dec 2007
	City of Geraldton-Greenough received on 30 Nov 2007
	Mr D Robinson received on 3 Dec 2007
	Aquaculture Council of Western Australia Inc. received on 7 Dec 2007
	Conservation Council of WA received on 19 Dec 2007
	Scott River Growers Group received on 3 Dec 2007
	Mr J Camkin received on 20 Dec 2007
	Shire of Manjimup received on 4 Feb 2008
	Department of Water received on 15 Feb 2008
	Department of Water Addendum D received on 25 Jan 2008
	Mr G Page received on 6 Dec 2007
	Department of Water received on 21 Feb 2008
	Yabby Producers Association Inc received on 13 Dec 2007
	Department of Water received on 21 Dec 2007
	Manjimup and Pemberton Landowners received on 28 Nov 2007
	Department of Water Addendum B received on 25 Jan 2008
	The Chamber of Minerals and Energy received on 14 Dec 2007
	Mr S Newbold received on 6 Dec 2007
	Marron Growers Association of WA received on 6 Dec 2007
	Shire of Merredin received on 3 Jan 2008
	Gascoyne Water Co-Operative Ltd received on 27 Nov 2007
	Harvey Water received on 7 Dec 2007
	Department of Environment and Conservation received on 5 Dec 2007
	Department of Water Addendum A received on 18 Dec 2007
	Irrigation Australia WA Region received on 11 Dec 2007
	Salitage Wines Pemberton received on 28 Nov 2007
	Town of Port Hedland received on 25 Jan 2008
	City of Perth received on 6 Dec 2007
	Department of Water received on 7 Feb 2008
	Department of Water Addendum C received on 25 Jan 2008
	Mr G Waugh received on 26 Nov 2007
	Rio Tinto Iron Ore received on 7 Dec 2007
	City of Bunbury received on 14 Dec 2007
	Shire of Yilgarn received on 7 Jan 2008
	Pastoralists and Graziers Association received on 12 Dec 2007
	Shire of Manjimup received on 7 Dec 2007
	South West Development Commission received on 10 Dec 2007
	Shire of Boddington received on 11 Dec 2007
	Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley received on 7 Jan 2008
	Economic Regulation Authority WA received on 10 Dec 2007
	Pilbara Regional Council received on 31 Jan 2008
	Shire of Goomalling received on 16 Jan 2008
	Mr L Scibilia received on 6 Dec 2007
	Harvey Water received on 16 Jan 2008
	Mr C Scott received on 6 Dec 2007
	Conservation Council of WA received on 8 Feb 2008
	Department of Agriculture and Food received on 7 Dec 2007
	Ord Irrigation Cooperative Ltd received on 12 Dec 2007
	The Alliance of The Western Australian Farmers Federation (Inc), Potato Growers Assn of WA (Inc), Vegetables Growers Assn, and WA Fruit Growers Assn (Inc) received on 7 Dec 2007
	Manjimup and Pemberton Landowners received on 7 Jan 2008

Unless a venue is specified, hearings are held at the
Legislative Assembly Committee Rooms, Level 2, 2 Parliament Place, West Perth

by Agency
Hearings by Date

Agency	Date	Time	Venue	Video

Date	Time	Venue	Agency	Video

Related Reports:

Report No	Title	Date tabled	Related documents
	Appendix 7 Abstraction Charges in Practice	14 Nov 2007
9	Water Licensing and Services	28 Feb 2008	More...

Members conducting inquiry

Members:

Hon. Robert (Bob) Charles Kucera MLA
Hon. Grant Allen Woodhams MLA
Mr Michael (Mick) Philip Murray MLA
Mr Anthony (Tony) James Simpson MLA
Hon. Dr Judith (Judy) Mary Edwards MLA

Staff Members:

Dr Loraine Abernethie, PhD (Principal Research Officer)
Ms Vanessa Beckingham, BA (Hons) (Research Officer)