MURRAY-DARLING BASIN PLAN

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:25): My question is to the Minister for Water and the River Murray. Was the minister aware that the government had not asked for access to the modelling undertaken by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, and can he explain why no-one in government ever sought the modelling underpinning the proposed plan? The Premier has stated to the media that the MDBA Chairman, Craig Knowles, has been playing footsies with the other states and had given its modelling to Victoria while denying access to the same data for South Australia.

Mrs Redmond: Which is totally untrue.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:26): No; it is the same. The first half of the answer gets the same answer that I have given previously, but I do want to take up the second part of the answer because it is important. What we were provided with was a copy of the report that was produced by the Victorian government, which modelled the number of 2,100 gigalitres. What a surprise that turns up in the week before the authority is about to release their report.

What does it say, fully attributed, on the bottom of that report? Provided with the cooperation, essentially (I am paraphrasing) with the Murray-Darling Basin Authority—their modelling, their files and data assisted in the creation of that document. Apparently the authority says that that is an incorrect attribution. Well, that's a surprise. That is a surprise that the Victorian government would be producing a report that provides a complete acknowledgement of their corporation that somehow that becomes false.

This is a very serious matter and it deserves, I think, the bipartisan support of this parliament. This has been the consistent position of this parliament over a number of decades now. Both Labor and Liberal have always adopted a bipartisan position in relation to the River Murray up until this point. I call upon them to join with me in advocating for the interests of South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!