House of Assembly Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3) 51 3 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Desalination Plant, Eyre Peninsula DESALINATION PLANT, EYRE PENINSULA Mr HAMILTON-SMITH House of Assembly Waite Leader of the Opposition DESALINATION PLANT, EYRE PENINSULA Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (14:30): My question is to the Minister for Water Security. Will the commitment of $160 million for the now cancelled Upper Spencer Gulf desalination plant still be made available to deliver water to the people of the Mid North and Eyre Peninsula and, if not, what will happen to the funding? On 19 February 2007 the Premier issued a media release which stated that he welcomed a firm commitment from federal Labor leader Kevin Rudd to a $160 million contribution to the proposed desalination plant in the Upper Spencer Gulf. The Hon. K.A. MAYWALD House of Assembly Chaffey Minister for the River Murray Minister for Water Security DESALINATION PLANT, EYRE PENINSULA The Hon. K.A. MAYWALD (Chaffey—Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water Security) (14:31): It is a really good question, because the water issue in South Australia is a very important one, and water security is an issue this government takes very seriously. We have just made an announcement to increase the capacity of the Adelaide desalination plant from 50 gigalitres per annum to 100 gigalitres per annum, taking significant pressure off the River Murray, particularly in drought years. It is a very good decision and, in light of that decision, there has been a rethink of the other investment in this state in relation to desalination plants. The $160 million that was promised by the former government comes from the Rural and Regional Water Fund, and we have written to the federal government seeking support for other projects that we will be investing in in the future. Ms Chapman interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition!