MEMBER for Murray Helen Dalton has questioned a loophole which exempts NSW politicians from declaring water ownership.
The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP, has been vocal about the need for a public water register since she entered into parliament, and last week questioned Premier Gladys Berejiklian on the current arrangement.
While NSW MPs are required to update their register annually, disclosing real estate assets, sources of income and any shareholdings, they are not currently required to disclose any other assets, such as water licences.
Mrs Dalton, an irrigator with a farm 40-kilometres outside of Griffith has voluntarily declared her water ownership on the pecuniary interest register, with more than $17 million worth of water to her name.
She has also flagged an intention to introduce a bill mandating state MPs declare their water interests.
“Given the New South Wales water crisis and current investigations into water trading and water corruption, will the premier explain why state members of parliament do not have to declare water ownership?” Mrs Dalton asked.
“Why has her government, in its nine years in power, not introduced a bill to force all state members of parliament to declare their water ownership on the pecuniary interest declaration form?”.
The premier responded, highlighting the state as having the “highest standards in relation to members’ requirements to disclose”.
“All members of parliament are required to disclose all of their relevant pecuniary interests on the record, which is publicly available,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“I expect that the member for Murray would do that, as well as every other person in this place.
“I also appreciate that if members have to update their records in relation to ownership of water licences or other things that might provide a benefit to them, they should do that.
” I am sure that the Member for Murray, as well as every other member in this place, will be looking to do that if it has not occurred already.”
The premier said the government was “on the front foot” in relation to dealing with the state’s “very serious” water conditions.
She added any MP concerned about pecuniary interest they should disclose ownership “proactively”.
“I say to the member for Murray that if she is personally concerned about any interests she or any other member might hold in relation to water licences, or if she or anybody else is concerned about what they own in relation to water assets they should disclose them proactively and put them on their registers,” Ms Berejiklian said.
