Emerald channel scheme

Water (Local Management Arrangements) Amendment Bill 2016

This bill changes Queensland's water laws to let SunWater's regional channel irrigation schemes be handed over to new entities owned and run by the irrigators who use them. It sets up a formal transfer process, starting with the Emerald, Eton, St George and Theodore schemes, and provides tax exemptions, staff protections and rules for moving assets, contracts and licences across to the new operators.