CONTAMINATION TESTING

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:18): Has the Minister for Environment and Conservation requested additional resources from cabinet to enable further contamination testing in metropolitan Adelaide? The EPA does not seem to have the resources to conduct such testing in a timely fashion.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order: the question contained argument.

The SPEAKER: Certainly the explanation did.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: The explanation is not allowed to contain argument either. I would just point out, Madam Speaker, that they can't complain about debate if they can't ask an orderly question.

The SPEAKER: I will uphold that point of order; however, the minister can answer the first part of the question.

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water) (15:19): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I guess there are—

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Finniss, restrain yourself. Minister.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Thank you, Madam Speaker. There are a couple of points I would like to make in answering this question. I am not being disrespectful to the deputy leader, but, clearly, he was not listening to my answer to the first question.

Under the system that we have in place, that was part of the legislation that we put in place that they did not bother to do when they were in government—the polluter pays. So the testing and the costs involved with the testing are done by an independent company that is engaged by the company that is responsible through that polluter pays process. What we do have, then, is that information to be independently audited through an independent auditor. That is the process that is in place.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: I have not gone to cabinet, nor to the Treasurer, seeking more funds for the EPA in relation to testing.