What Inquiry?

Date: Tuesday, 29 May 2007 2:20 PM
Luke Hartsuyker MP
Nationals Member for Cowper
29 May 2007
Dear Sir,
Re: Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Senate Committee: Inquiry into Additional Water Supplies for South East Queensland - Traveston Crossing Dam
Today I, like the majority of Clarence Valley residents, became aware for the first time that a Senate committee is currently considering Clarence catchment area water diversion proposals as part of its brief.
I became aware because the Senate committee was the subject of a front page article in The Daily Examiner, Grafton, the only major local newspaper and one which was established in 1859.
The deadline for submissions to this committee does not leave me time to prepare a considered written submission which could be presented before the committee's hearings are completed and, possibly its report prepared and tabled.
Like many other Clarence Valley residents, I have commitments which do not allow me to drop everything in order to prepare a submission which could arrive in a timely manner given such late and informal notice.
I note that, in The Daily Examiner article, you were quoted as stating that you would be prepared to write to the Senate committee if the community felt it had not had time to adequately respond.
I ask that you do write and, request that:
(i) the submission deadline be extended to 20 June 2007;
(ii) the committee report not be prepared or tabled before that date; and
(iii) the committee re-advertise its details in The Daily Examiner before 4 June 2007.
I note that the committee in question appears to have been receiving submissions since early April and, its hearings have been relevant to the Clarence Valley since at least early May.
The matter of a lack of suitable advertising goes to the heart of parliamentary procedural transparency, as well as access and equity for the electorates involved.
In anticipation and appreciation of your assistance with this matter.
Yours faithfully,

JUDITH M. MELVILLE