Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Bill 2023

The majority voted against an amendment to the usual second reading motion (which is "that the bill be read a second time" - parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill). The amendment was introduced by NSW Senator Perin Davey (Nationals).

Amendment text

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate:

(a) notes that environmental outcomes could be enhanced by expanding the purposes of the Water for the Environment Special Account to include funding for projects which could contribute to the 450 GL increase of water for environment use through complementary measures and incidental water savings, such as rule-based changes and changing infrastructure to support fish movement; and

(b) calls on the Government to work with the Basin States to deliver enhanced environmental outcomes through complementary measures".