"Unless Mr Turnbull wakes up to the huge impact that climate change is having on the security of our water resources, the National Water Initiative will go off the rails," said Senator Rachel Siewert today.

Senator Siewert slammed comments by Malcolm Turnbull criticising state government efforts to reduce the demand for water and suggesting that they should be investing in new infrastructure to increase supply.

"Building more dams and pipes is not a solution when the water simply isn't there."

Senator Rachel Siewert, Chair of the Rural, Regional & Transport References Committee tabled a report today that raises serious concerns about the state of the nation's water policy initiatives.

"The committee raised major concerns about the issues of climate change, the over-allocation of our river systems, the need for water recycling and increasing conflict between urban and rural demands for a greater share of a depleting resource," said Senator Siewert.

The report said that, while the extent of climate change may be uncertain,

I present an interim report on the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee's inquiry into water policy initiatives, together with a document presented to the committee. I seek leave to move a motion in relation to the report.
(Leave granted.)

I move:

That the Senate take note of the report.

"It is hugely disappointing that in Australia we have come to the sad state of affairs where a local community has been forced into voting over their future water supply – this is a symptom of Government's failure to address the water issue in Australia" said Senator Rachel Siewert today.

"We live in the driest inhabited continent on earth, and yet both state and federal Governments have consistently failed to come to grips with this. Government has failed to plan appropriately, invest in infrastructure and to make the hard decisions on water conservation and use.

Greens Senator Rachel Siewert today welcomed new research released by the CSIRO and Monash University on Australia's pending water crisis.

"Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth and World Environment Day is a timely reminder for the Howard Government that water is Australia's most precious resource. How we allocate and use water is one of the most significant issues we face," said Senator Siewert

Giving the Commonwealth control over water resources won't solve the water crisis in Australia – according to Senator Rachel Siewert, spokesperson on water for the Australian Greens.

"While I have sympathy for Senator Bill Heffernan's frustration over the appalling state of our water resources, giving control to the Commonwealth is not the answer."

"One of the major issues facing the Murray River is climate change – this will affect not only water allocation to farmers, but is a grave threat to environmental flows in the Murray."