MURRAY-DARLING BASIN PLAN

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:08): I seek leave to make a further ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: It is beyond doubt that a healthy River Murray is crucial for the future of South Australia—so many livelihoods and so much of our precious natural environment depends upon it. What is also beyond doubt is that the proposed basin plan is inadequate. The best available scientific knowledge and the overwhelming weight of South Australian community opinion confirms this. The choice is clear: admit defeat and surrender, or stand and fight to secure a better future for the river. The South Australian government has chosen to stand and fight. The purpose of fighting is to win but, to win, we need to be united. That is why we are calling on all South Australians to get involved in the campaign to save the Murray.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Much good work has already been done to this point in raising community awareness of this issue, in particular through The Advertiser's I Love Murraycampaign, but we must take it to a new level. This is why today, as the first step in our campaign to generate overwhelming public pressure on the commonwealth, we launched the Fight for the Murray website which provides an opportunity to register support, join the campaign and become part of a network that will receive updates as the campaign moves forward. That website is already available and can be found at www.fightforthemurray.com.au.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: The Liberal Party thinks that we should accept the proposed plan as a good start. They argue that by speaking out against it we risk jeopardising the entire plan and that therefore we may get nothing.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Premier, could you just hold on a moment. Members on my left, I'm trying to hear what the Premier has to say and I can't hear him.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Norwood, you will leave the chamber if you're not careful.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: The Liberal Party thinks that we should accept the proposed plan as a good start. They argue that by speaking out against it we risk jeopardising the entire plan and that therefore we may get nothing.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: This is patently false. The Water Act requires the creation of a plan and the commonwealth minister has today confirmed that he is prepared to override the states, if necessary, to make a plan. This is precisely why, to maximise pressure on the commonwealth decision-making process, we need all South Australians to unite to fight for a healthy river. We need to show that we are prepared to use all methods at our disposal to achieve that outcome. I invite all members of this house—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I invite all members of this house—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —to join this campaign to make your voices heard and to demand justice for South Australia and for our river.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!