WATER BILLING

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop) (15:27): I have a whole heap more questions here, Kevin; I wish you would be bloody quicker. Again, my question is to the Treasurer. How will the government now refund SA Water bill payers who have been overcharged, and will the refunds create a revenue black hole requiring reduced dividends to government or cutbacks to investment in infrastructure, maintenance or other SA Water services?

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Federal/State Relations) (15:28): Well, as part of my penance, I will be borrowing my younger son's bike, and I will be personally pedalling around the suburbs of Adelaide, rolling up with a cheque and apologising in person.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: All right; I've made the offer. If you don't want it, I withdraw that offer.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Vickie, hold on; you can still be chucked out. SA Water, which has assured me that it has an advanced billing system, painfully—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: —will dutifully work through a process of reimbursement and, shortly, SA Water will advise the government how that is to be done, whether it will be done by way of an ex gratia cheque or by way of an ex gratia adjustment to the bill. I guess it will be an ex gratia cheque. Remember, the bills were applied and sent out lawfully, and people are required to pay those bills. We will, though, in as quick and as short a time frame as is technologically possible—as soon as the computers can do it and the post office can do it, or whatever—it will be done. How's that?