30th Nov 2023, 9:35 AM – Senate Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Bill 2023 - In Committee - Indigenous peoples

The majority voted in favour of amendments introduced by Senator Lidia Thorpe (Independent), which means they will now become part of the bill.

Amendment text

SHEET 2275

(1) Schedule 1, page 11 (after line 24), at the end of the Schedule, add:

Part 6 — Indigenous members of the Authority

Water Act 2007

22A Paragraph 177(b)

Repeal the paragraph, substitute:

(b) 2 Indigenous persons recognised in the Indigenous community as having a high level of expertise in Indigenous matters relevant to Basin water resources, each of whom is a standing Indigenous Authority member for the purposes of this Subdivision;

22B Subsection 178(2)

Omit "the standing", substitute "as a standing".

22C Subsection 178(2A)

Omit "the standing", substitute "a standing".

22D Subsection 180(3)

Omit "the standing", substitute "a standing".

22E Subsection 180(3A)

Omit "the standing Indigenous Authority member unless the individual is an Indigenous person who has", substitute "a standing Indigenous Authority member unless the individual is recognised in the Indigenous community as having".

22F In the appropriate position in Schedule 10

Insert:

Part 3 — Application provision relating to the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023

1 Application of amendments

The amendments of sections 177, 178 and 180 made by Part 6 of Schedule 1 to the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023 apply in relation to appointments made on or after the commencement of that Schedule.

SHEET 2278

(1) Schedule 1, page 11 (after line 24), at the end of the Schedule, add:

Part 7 — Review of the Act to consider United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Water Act 2007

23 After subsection 253(1)

Insert:

(1A) The review must also identify opportunities under this Act to promote the principles set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, being the Resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 13 September 2007.

Note: The text of United Nations General Assembly resolutions could in 2023 be accessed through the United Nations' website (https://www.un.org).