Hansard debates

                              HERITAGE RIVERS BILL
                                 Second reading

  Hon. B. T. PULLEN (Minister for Conservation and Environment) -- I move:
  That this Bill be now read a second time.
In 1987  the  government directed the  Land  Conservation Council  to  conduct a
special investigation  of  the  scenic,  recreational, cultural  and  ecological
values of rivers and streams in Victoria, and to make recommendations on the use
of these rivers and how their identified values could best be protected.

This  investigation arose from  the government's commitment  to  maintain, in at
least   their  present   condition,  Victoria's  most   outstanding  rivers  and
essentially natural catchments.
EFFECTS OF DAM CONSTRUCTION
While Victorians have enjoyed the benefits of water resource development and the
resultant  economic  growth,  this   growth   has   not   been  without  adverse
environmental and economic implications. Construction of numerous weirs and dams
has  substantially changed  the  flow  of many  rivers.  Rather than  reflecting
natural processes, river flows increasingly reflect human requirements and, as a
result, many natural systems have been put at risk.

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Construction of  dams  and changing flow regimes have major impacts: they act as
barriers to  the movement of fish  and other in-stream  fauna; water temperature
and  quality  are affected; releases  of  water for  irrigation  reverse natural
seasonal  conditions; and the response  of rivers to storm rainfall is modified,
affecting fish spawning, and opportunities for on-stream recreation.
AIMS OF THE HERITAGE RIVERS BILL
It is in this  context that  the government  has introduced this Bill which aims
to:  protect  those  remaining  rivers  with  outstanding  nature  conservation,
recreation, scenic or  cultural heritage attributes;  provide opportunities  for
recreation, landscape  appreciation and education  associated with those rivers;
maintain  certain rivers in free-flowing states; and maintain certain catchments
in an essentially natural condition.

Increases in population and leisure time as well  as  a  continuing  demand  for
commercial use of the State's public land and water resources highlight the need
to  protect those rivers and catchments with significant values but, at the same
time, provide for future water resource development based on sound environmental
principles. This Bill will provide the necessary long-term  protection while the
Water Act 1989 will continue to be the  vehicle for  the orderly  development of
the State's water resources.
VICTORIAN HERITAGE RIVERS SYSTEM
This Bill provides for the establishment of a heritage rivers system in Victoria
which is comparable with similar systems in countries such as Canada, the United
States of America and Norway, and  is  something  in  which  Victorians can take
pride.

The  Bill is the first of its kind in Australia and reflects the growing concern
around the nation  for the protection,  management  and responsible use  of  our
remaining outstanding rivers. The system includes corridors of public land along
17 rivers, totalling some 1950 kilometres in  length. The 17 rivers involved are
the Aire,  Bemm and  its tributaries, Big -- flowing to Lake  Eildon --  Buchan,
Genoa, Glenelg, Goulburn, Howqua, Lerderderg, Mitchell/Wonnangatta, Mitta Mitta,
Ovens, Snowy, Suggan Buggan/Berrima, Thomson, Wimmera and the Yarra.
EFFECTS OF THE BILL
The  legislation  emphasises that these rivers are for the use and enjoyment  of
all  Victorians and  the protection of their values  now will  allow them  to be
enjoyed by future generations of Victorians.

Several  of  the  rivers, such  as  the Mitchell, Wonnangatta,  Genoa,  Aire and
Howqua, are to  be  maintained in free-flowing states and the Bill provides that
no  impoundments,  artificial barriers  or  structures  are to  be  built in the
identified  corridors along these  rivers. The Bill  does not preclude  existing
diversions of water. Future diversions will also be permitted provided that they
do not significantly impair the attributes of the river corridor concerned.
The  Bill  also provides  for  the  protection of  26  natural catchments across
Victoria. Catchments in  the rest of the State have been  significantly modified
by clearing, mining, timber  harvesting,  agriculture  or extensive roading. The
detailed  provisions for  each river  and catchment  are set out in a  series of
schedules accompanying the Bill.

The provisions of the  Bill apply only to public land in Victoria and a range of
uses  will continue  to  be  permitted provided  they  are  consistent with  the
approved Land Conservation Council  recommendations,  upon  which  the  Bill  is
based.
The addition of further rivers or catchments to the schedules of the Bill or the
revocation  of rivers or catchments now listed would require an amendment to the
legislation. The  Bill  does  not  alter  the underlying tenure of the land, but
overlays  specific provisions relating to the protection of  the scheduled river
corridors and catchments.
The  Bill  also  provides  for  the development  of  management  plans for  each
scheduled  river or  catchment  within  five  years  of  being included  in  the
legislation.

However, if a plan which includes a scheduled river or catchment area is already
in  existence, the  managing  authority can adopt  that  plan, with  or  without
amendment,  thereby avoiding duplication in  the preparation of  plans. The Bill
provides that the Minister  may amend or revoke management plans applying to the
scheduled rivers or catchments, and the Governor in Council may make regulations
in relation to  management plans or other  matters considered necessary  to give
effect to the Bill.
CONSULTATION, AND SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS
The rivers and catchments identified in the Bill were recommended for protection
by the Land Conservation Council only after a comprehensive investigation of the
attributes  of  rivers  and  streams  across  the  State,   extensive  community
consultation during the four-year investigation and an assessment of the  social
and economic implications relating to their protection.

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The  protection  afforded by  the  Bill  comprises a  significant  part  of  the
government's  environmental  policy  as  enunciated  in  the State  conservation
strategy  and I believe future generations of Victorians will look back  with  a
sense of gratitude to this Parliament for its vision and sense of responsibility
in  giving these outstanding  rivers  and catchments  the  status and  long-term
protection they deserve.
I commend the Bill to the House.
Debate adjourned for Hon. M. A. BIRRELL (South Yarra) on motion of Hon. R. S. de
Fegely.
Debate adjourned until next day.