MOUNT BOLD RESERVOIR

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (14:38): My question is for the Premier. Why did the government spend $3 million to plant trees in Mount Bold, which would have flooded if the Mount Bold expansion had gone ahead?

The Hon. K.A. MAYWALD (Chaffey—Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water Security, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Small Business, Minister Assisting the Minister for Industry and Trade) (14:38): The Mount Bold reservoir is still under investigation, and we will continue to do the work that we have committed to do in relation to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Water Security.

The Hon. K.A. MAYWALD: We will continue to do the work that we have undertaken to do to investigate all options to double the capacity in the Mount Lofty Ranges, of which Mount Bold is but one of the projects we are looking at. The planting of trees happens all over the state, and major infrastructure investment does have impacts. We know that. Everyone knows that. You build a dam and it has impacts. The fact is that we have to be sensible about water security for the future of Adelaide. We are doing that, and we are doing the appropriate investigations.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!