Question Time

DESALINATION PLANT

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (15:05): Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I will take that as an indication that I can have a lot of licence today.

My question is to the Minister for Water and the River Murray. Why did the government double the size of Adelaide's desalination plant to a capacity of 100 gigalitres per year? Modelling by the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, provided to MPs last week, reveals that, even in the driest years under climate change scenarios, South Australia will require less than 25 gigalitres of desalinated water per year until 2050.

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:05): Of course, we did it for one simple reason, that is, to ensure that metropolitan Adelaide and, indeed, the state will be better waterproofed through the construction of a 100-gigalitre desalination plant.