MURRAY RIVER, LOWER LAKES

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (14:56): My question is again to the Minister for Water Security.

An honourable member interjecting:

Mr PEDERICK: Well, it is after the last one. That's all right.

The SPEAKER: Order!

An honourable member interjecting:

Mr PEDERICK: Also—I am sorry about that. Is the government aware of the dire situation faced by food producers, dairy farmers and households in the Lower Lakes and what immediate action does the government intend to take to help these families through this crisis? The dramatic fall in lake levels as the waterline has receded anything up to three kilometres has resulted in many local farmers resorting to desperate measures to survive. These include men and some women in their 60s crawling on their bellies across the mudflats dragging equipment to try to access water, the quality of which is already at the limit.

In some cases, these people have ropes tied to them to facilitate their rescue if they get into difficulties. Some solutions being put out by the communities include urgently sending down over 200 gigalitres of water for lake and environmental recovery and the immediate construction of new pipelines to both the Narrung Peninsula and Langhorne Creek.

The Hon. R.J. McEWEN (Mount Gambier—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests) (14:57): I thank the member for his question. The member is aware of the very difficult circumstances in which many of our primary producers—particularly those around the Lower Lakes—find themselves as a consequence of drought. It is a consequence of the fact that we still have not had adequate rains in the catchment of the Murray part of the Murray-Darling Basin and these dire circumstances will continue for some time yet. The member is also very aware—

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. R.J. McEWEN: The member is also very aware that, although drought is driven—

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. R.J. McEWEN: Although members opposite are very aware—and I might add, Mr Speaker—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. R.J. McEWEN: We are all very aware of the very difficult circumstances in which many of our producers find themselves. We must work hand in glove with the federal government. It is federal government policy to drive drought. As a state, we support that. I was disappointed in the lead-up to the last federal election that minister McGauran was not responding in a timely manner to a number of the difficulties. I will be meeting with the new federal minister in Cairns on Friday. State ministers will be meeting in Cairns on Friday. One of the four key issues we will be addressing, of course, is the ongoing consequences of drought. I will certainly—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. R.J. McEWEN: I will certainly bring to minister Burke's attention not only the state of our irrigators along the river but most certainly the state of those around the lakes. The Premier and the Minister for Water Security and I toured the lakes recently and spent some time with many distressed producers and obviously with local government. We are familiar with the circumstances. Solutions are complex and difficult and will require the three spheres of government to work closely together. I will certainly be making sure that I advocate strongly on behalf of all our primary producers, particularly those on the Lower Lakes.