WATER INFRASTRUCTURE

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop) (16:25): My question is to the Premier.

The Hon. P.F. Conlon: I'll take it.

Mr WILLIAMS: You will take it, Pat? I look forward to your answer. Does the Premier still believe that the provision of $1 billion to Victoria for water infrastructure will not provide any additional water to South Australia?

In a media release, dated 22 October 2007, the Premier stated that using the $10 billion national water initiative to 'improve infrastructure and make water efficiencies to benefit New South Wales and Victoria will not create greater flows into the South Australian end of the river'.

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) (16:25): If the member had read the information that was provided with the release in relation to the memorandum of understanding, the new national plan and the $1 billion for infrastructure investment in Victoria, he would see that that project intends to save around 200 billion litres, of which 100 billion will go back to the environment.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.A. MAYWALD: The Leader of the Opposition gets it totally wrong again. In actual fact, there was no memorandum of understanding in October last year, so it could not possibly refer to the same project.