Senator JACINTA COLLINS (Victoria—Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations) (15:43): I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move: That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the Water Amendment (Long-term Average Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment) Bill 2012, allowing it to be considered during this period of sittings. I also table a statement of reasons justifying the need for the bill to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statement incorporated in Hansard. Leave granted. The statement read as follows— STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2012 SPRING SITTINGS WATER AMENDMENT (LONG-TERM AVERAGE SUSTAINABLE DIVERSION LIMIT ADJUSTMENT) BILL Purpose of the Bill The bill provides a mechanism for adjusting a long-term sustainable diversion limit (SDL), within set limits, without the Basin Plan going through the formal amendment process. It will provide for the Murray Darling Basin Authority to be able to adjust the limit in a way that reflects the environmentally sustainable level of take, determine that any criteria in the Basin Plan for the above purposes have been met and require a State water resource plan to reflect the adjustments to the limit. It provides that notice may be tabled by the Minister adjusting the SDL. Reasons for Urgency During the Basin Plan public consultation there was strong support for a process that would enable the SDL to be adjusted without the formal Basin Plan adjustment process being invoked. The s.43A(4) consensus statement by the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council on the proposed Basin Plan included support for the development by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, together with Basin States, of an SDL adjustment mechanism. The Government intent is to make the Basin Plan this calendar year. Unless the amendment is made this sitting then the adjustment mechanism to be included within the Basin Plan could not take account of the amendment.