House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Murray-Darling Basin Plan MURRAY-DARLING BASIN PLAN Mr WHETSTONE House of Assembly Chaffey MURRAY-DARLING BASIN PLAN Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (14:31): My question is to the Minister for Water and the River Murray. Minister, which Labor faction do we believe: the right senator, Don Farrell, who supports federal Labor's Murray-Darling Basin Authority draft plan, or the Premier from the left, who wants to take it to the High Court? Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Premier. The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly Cheltenham Premier Minister for State Development The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:31): Thank you, Madam Speaker— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Madam Speaker, I want to make this absolutely clear: it does not matter who on which side of politics gets in our way in relation to defending the river, we will stand up for South Australia. Can I say, Madam Speaker, to everyone in this place, if the member for Chaffey— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —had the interests of his constituents at heart, he would be joining with me— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order, Madam Speaker. Again, I am a stickler for standing orders. I cannot hear the Premier, and I am two seats away. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Absolutely; I cannot hear him, either. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Mr Marshall interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Norwood, you are warned! Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Premier, can you sit down until we have some order in this place. Mr Pederick interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Hammond, you are warned. You got two warnings yesterday, look out! Premier. The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Madam Speaker, we are at a critical stage in the deliberations in relation to the basin plan. We are formulating our response. There is an opportunity to influence the final shape of the plan. Those opposite, to the extent that they give comfort to those upstream interests whose only interest is to make sure they do not put an extra drop of water back into that river, are damaging South Australia's interests. For once, put your state ahead of your party.