MURRAY RIVER WATER ALLOCATIONS

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:06): My question is to the Minister for Water. Why hasn't the 130 gigalitres of water, which was carried over to this water year specifically for South Australian private water licence carryover, been used to increase South Australian irrigators' allocations in this current water year, and for what purpose has this water been used?

Murray River irrigators are stuck on 67 per cent allocation this year, supposedly because of carryover, yet the Murray-Darling Basin Authority River Murray system financial operating plan for the 2010-11 year shows that at least 130 gigalitres of water was carried forward in storage specifically for South Australian private licence carryover.

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water) (15:07): You always have to be very cautious of how ever it is that the deputy leader constructs his questions. We saw that yesterday with respect to the information that he says he received about commonwealth funding being withdrawn, which was an absolute fabrication and nowhere near the truth.

Quite frankly—and I have dealt with this ad nauseam as well inside and outside the house—yes, we have some irrigators that are sitting on 67 per cent and others that have carried over water and that water has been used up to 100 per cent of their site entitlement. There are other irrigators that have been 67 per cent and, coupled with carryover, anything between 67 per cent and 100 per cent. As is well known, carryover water was a drought contingency measure and, as a result of the water that we are going to have next year, or are most likely going to have, I am not permitting carryover to occur next year.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!