SA WATER

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:13): My question is again to the Minister for Water.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: Does the minister think it's fair that low water using pensioners, even after receiving the government's latest concessions, will see their water bills increase by 74 per cent?

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water) (15:13): The decision that was announced last week to increase the prices was in line with the transparency that we had stated previously about there being significant increases. It is interesting that they talk about trying to hide it. It certainly wasn't hidden, so, if that was the strategy, it didn't work.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: If we'd done it the day before, you would say that we were trying to hide it in the budget. If we do it the day after, you say we are trying to hide it in the budget. You make an announcement about something else, and you're trying to hide it—with outrageous comments—earthquakes in New Zealand or Japan or bin Laden. What we are about is making sure that there is a high level of transparency with respect to the decisions that this government makes, and as soon as we can possibly put that information out there, we will do that, and that is evidenced by the fact that we have done that.

The question was, of course, about whether or not there is a level of fairness with respect to the increase in prices, and we know that all South Australians will have increased prices with respect to water users. My understanding is that—and I will stand corrected here, because I am sure that someone will correct me if I am wrong—during the time of the Liberal government, there was only one increase in concessions during that whole period of time.

The Hon. J.M. Rankine interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: No increases whatsoever in any forms of concession during your tenure, save and except the emergency services levy. The reason there was a concession provided for the emergency services levy was that they were pressured into it because of the—

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: I said that I stand to be corrected. That's my understanding of it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: And if I am wrong—but on my understanding, no concessions.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: Well, if I'm wrong, I will come in and correct the record, but that is what I am advised. One of the issues that has been raised here is about the impact on concession holders—those concession holders being pensioners, those with Gold Cards, those with commonwealth health cards—and the concessions they get. It is true that, in percentage terms, if you are earning less and there is an increase, it will look and be a larger percentage increase. But what we have also done is increase the level of concession that is available to the extent that, if we look at the figures that currently exist, we are going to have a 5 per cent increase—up to 25 per cent will be available for concession holders across their entire bill. So, that takes the minimum concession available for an owner occupier up from $100 to $125. Of course, they will be increasing again next year as well, taking it up to $155, and the same applies.

We acknowledge that the increases in prices are going to have an impact on South Australians and, quite frankly, what is fair is that we have significantly increased the level of concession available to those people who have the least capacity to be able to pay, and that is what is fair.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!