RIVERINE RECOVERY PROJECT

Mr BIGNELL (Mawson) (15:01): My question is to the Minister for the River Murray. How will key environmental sites along the River Murray in South Australia benefit through the Riverine Recovery Project?

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water) (15:01): I thank the honourable member for Mawson for his question. For the benefit of the member for Bragg, irrigators will, of course, benefit through what is the Riverine project. I am delighted to inform members that preliminary works are now underway at three key environmental sites in the River Murray in South Australia following the successful negotiation—of course, the way in which we reach agreements like this, as I mentioned earlier, is through proper negotiation—of a $9.2 million package in funding for the Riverine Recovery Early Works Project.

These commonwealth and state funded works will develop new infrastructure and support other programs that will deliver environmental flows and restore significant wetlands and flood plains. The project will take approximately 12 months and is being carried out in areas where the environment has been degraded over time as a result of river regulation, over-allocation and extraction of water, as well as reduced flows during the drought.

These works are the forerunner of the $100 million Riverine Recovery Project, which is part of South Australia's Murray Futures program. The project will significantly improve the health of the riverine environment between the Victorian border and Wellington, including the South Australian river channel, priority wetlands, flood plains and backwaters. The early works are now being undertaken at three key environmental sites: Pike Floodplain, Katfish Reach and Yatco Lagoon.

The works being undertaken in the Pike Floodplain include upgrading inlet regulators and improving the bridge structure that crosses the Margaret Dowling Creek on Lock 5 Road. An overall assessment of irrigation infrastructure in the area will also be undertaken to identify future modification requirements.

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH: Point of order, Madam Speaker. I understand that the minister is telling the house that a project before the Public Works Committee, which has not yet been approved by the Public Works Committee because the government is not providing certain information essential for that committee to make its decision on the matter, is already underway and that moneys have been expended on the project.

My understanding, Madam Speaker—and I ask you to consider this and come back to the house—is that for the executive to go ahead and start work on a project and spend moneys on it before it has been approved by parliament's Public Works Committee is against the act. I ask you to consider the minister's statement, look at the facts of what has occurred in progressing the matter through Public Works and come back to the house.

The SPEAKER: Order! That was a very, very long point of order and I think you strayed from the point of order, but, minister, is that the case?

The Hon. P. CAICA: The case, as I understand it, is that the matter was before Public Works and, of course, there was, as I understand it—I will be corrected—a walkout by opposition members—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —on a very important project that is impacting upon the constituents of the member for Chaffey.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! No, that was not a point of order. You would need to raise that as a matter of substantive motion. However, minister, are you prepared to accept what the member said?

The Hon. P. CAICA: Madam Speaker, I promised you that I would never get grumpy again, and I in no way am. I am finished, and the reason I am finished is because it is clear to me that the opposition—in particular, the member for Chaffey and others—are not interested in what is a very important project that is going to benefit—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —the river and the communities of the Riverland.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: I am finished.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I think we will leave it at that and I can discuss it with the member for Waite afterwards if he wishes.