Senator RHIANNON: In just sticking with the Commonwealth environmental water, is the government now favouring recovering water through subsidising irrigation upgrades?

Senator Birmingham: This government has always preferred investment in irrigation and infrastructure efficiency as the preferred means to recover water licences to go into the CEWO, whilst minimising social and economic impact, or at least providing some beneficial social and economic impacts.

CHAIR: Senator Rhiannon.

Australian Greens water spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon says the Abbott government's friends in the mining industry will be celebrating today's vote in the Senate in favour of shutting down the National Water Commission.

"As a nation, we are facing major challenges to our water supplies. Mining impacted communities are especially at risk as the process uses vast amounts of water. The National Water commission provided crucial oversight of our water policies," said Senator Rhiannon.

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (10:45): The Greens do not support the amendments in the National Water Commission (Abolition) Bill 2014. The amendments do not improve the situation. We need to remember that this legislation is about removing the National Water Commission and that once the legislation has gone through that body is gone. The amendments that we now have before us to the Productivity Commission are not a saviour in any way at all, and that is what we need to be focusing on in this aspect of the debate.

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (15:51): I move:

Australian Greens comment on Senator Leyonhjelm's Parliamentary speech about keeping native animals as pets

Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said:

"Senator Leyonhjelm's speech was an attack on our national parks, which are obviously essential to both fauna and flora conservation, and must be preserved for future generations.

"Suggesting that we can stop the our extinction crisis by keeping native animals as pets, while dismissing national parks flies in the face of the scientific evidence.

The Australian Senate has unanimously passed a Greens motion supporting the Solar Energy eXchange Initiative in western New South Wales. 

“Western NSW is the ideal place to harness the power of the sun to benefit local residents, the economy and the environment,” said Greens Senator for NSW Lee Rhiannon.

Senator RHIANNON (New South Wales) (20:02): The New South Wales Liberal and National parties line up with the Abbott government as environmental vandals. Premier Mike Baird and the coalition government are creating a legacy of environmental destruction and climate change inaction. New South Wales suffered under the previous state Labor government when it came to prioritising developers over local communities, which was one of their favourite activities. The coalition, however, are no better and in some areas worse.

Senator RHIANNON: Did somebody from the National Water Commission join a delegation of water managers from Australia to India in January of this year?

Mr McLoughlin : Yes. That was me.

Senator RHIANNON: That is wonderful. I understand that the official DFAT documents gave considerable coverage of the National Water Commission and its role in the water management success story in Australia. Is that how you would describe it?

Senator RHIANNON: I wanted to clarify some of the processes associated with the Living Murray and the Water for Rivers projects as supply measures. I understand that the Living Murray projects were already completed and operational, and that their environmental objectives were set prior to the Basin Plan. So I was wondering, how is it claimed that the environmental outcomes of these projects-the ones set prior to the Basin Plan-are additional. I am trying to understand how they are additional to the 2,750 gigalitres environmental base line.