DESALINATION PLANT

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop) (14:37): My question is again for the Minister for Water Security. For what capacity desalination plant is the government to tender to be constructed at Port Stanvac and what is the estimated cost? In releasing a list of South Australia's infrastructure priorities, the Premier headed the list with a proposal to construct a 100 gigalitre desalination plant, following earlier statements that the government would construct a 50 gigalitre desalination plant. A report to COAG by Infrastructure Australia states that the cost of the desalination plant for Adelaide will be some $2.4 billion, not the $1.4 billion as stated earlier by the government.

The Hon. K.A. MAYWALD (Chaffey—Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water Security) (14:38): The government has indicated that we will be building a 50 gigalitre plant, with a capacity to expand to 100 gigalitres. Infrastructure Australia talks about what a 100 gigalitre may cost. We are making representation to the federal government about a potential to upgrade from the 50 gigalitres to which we have committed to a further 50 gigalitres to double the size of the plant.