NARRUNG BUND

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:53): My question is to the Minister for Water. Can the minister explain why his federal counterpart, Tony Burke, only received last Friday the relevant documentation from the South Australian government necessary for the removal of the Narrung bund, as Tony Burke revealed on Adelaide radio this morning? Since September last year, the minister has been telling the public that the government has the removal plans in place, and he also told the house on 10 February this year, in relation to this matter, and I quote:

We expect the matter to be resolved fairly quickly and, even as we speak, we have representatives over there talking with their Commonwealth counterparts...

It is now June.

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water) (14:54): I thank the honourable member for his question. I did not hear my friend and colleague Tony Burke on the wireless this morning—

An honourable member: It's called the radio these days.

The Hon. P. CAICA: —the radio—but I think that it has been common knowledge for some time. I think that Tony has said this previously, and I presume that he said it again this morning—it is something that I have said as well—that it has been a pretty tortuous process with respect to the level of bureaucratic involvement with regard to getting a decision made. I stand by what I have previously said. I think we have probably sent numerous proposals through to the federal government department on issues relating to the removal of the Clayton regulator, as we did with the Narrung regulator. As I understand it, Tony, like I, is sick and tired of—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —the inability, if you like—and I understand—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: I understand that it is very important that due diligence is undertaken when we are spending other people's money, particularly taxpayers' money, but the delay has been totally unacceptable, and—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Williams interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: You asked me a question; you're not interested in the answer, really.

Mr Williams: Yes, we are.

The Hon. P. CAICA: No, you're not. You're not; otherwise you would just shut up.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: Sorry, Madam Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for MacKillop!

The Hon. P. CAICA: What, 'shut up'? Is that a swear word, is it?

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: I'll check. No, it's not. Tony, like I, has said it was unacceptable. He or his department received another series of documents on Friday in relation to the conditions, and South Australia's conditions that we say ought to be involved, and what the commonwealth requires regarding the removal of that bund. I understand that he will be considering that soon. That has been the trouble with this process—mostly from a bureaucratic perspective—it is always 'soon'. But, at the expense of being—

Mr Williams interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order, Madam Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Order! Point of order.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: This deputy leader insists on standing orders and is interjecting again. It is out of order.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The deputy leader is aware of the standing orders and he needs to be very careful. Minister.

The Hon. P. CAICA: He is certainly aware of them, Madam Speaker, but it is quite clear that he does not observe them. I would go as far as to say that the final decision-making process of the commonwealth government is imminent.