The CDP believes that God created and requires mankind to use natural resources for mankind’s benefit. Water is such a resource.

National Water Policy

Therefore the CDP:

Does not support the Commonwealth taking control of water policy from the States. The Constitution of Australia does not allocate the control of dams and waterways to the Commonwealth. Whilst it is clearly sensible for NSW, Vic and SA to coordinate the use of the water they share, WA, Queensland and Tasmania should be left to manage their own water systems without interference from Canberra because their river systems are largely contained within their own state boundaries.

Urban Water

Supports tax deductibility for water saving devices used by households and businesses.

Believes that water is a public good which should be provided at the cost of delivery. The CDP acknowledges that there may be situations when the only feasible supplier of an essential service is a monopoly public enterprise. In such circumstances the CDP believes that these enterprises should deliver their services or goods to families and businesses at cost and not with a profit focus.

Regrettably, recent years have seen large profits returned to state governments by their monopoly water trading corporations at the expense of the families and businesses who must buy their water from the public supplier. Additionally, the replacement, repair and maintenance of the public supply water system for all communities, including remote and isolated ones, has been neglected in favor of a focus on profit by government water supply corporations.

This is far from the original purpose these enterprises had to provide water to households and businesses at a cost price which includes a provision for replacement, repair and maintenance of the network. Furthermore this focus on profit undermines the justification for allowing these corporations to remain as the monopoly supplier of water to most households and businesses.

Rural Water

Recognises that different irrigation solutions will apply to different agricultural products and consequently farmers should be free to purchase the irrigation delivery system best suited to their particular enterprise.

However, it is accepted that if some farmers are allowed to freely trade their secure water entitlements this may adversely impact other farming enterprises as certain irrigation areas becomes uneconomic. CDP believes that a just system of compensation needs to be devised to adjust for any collateral damage done in these circumstances.

CDP is concerned about the distorting impact of some of the Managed Investment Schemes on agricultural production and water allocation. The taxation advantages enjoyed by Managed Investment Schemes can mean that they fail to respond to market pressures and oversupply a particular commodity using an over allocation of water.