DESALINATION PLANT

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:58): My question again is to the Minister for Water. How much was paid under the desalination plant operation and maintenance contract from the start of those payments on 8 July 2009 until November 2011 when first water was eventually achieved; and what was being operated and what was being maintained while the plant was still under construction?

The latest SA Water annual report notes that SA Water has entered into a contract to operate and maintain the desalination plant from project handover of the 50 gigalitre per annum capacity component of the plant, which I understand will occur in August this year.

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:59): Madam Speaker, quite simply, I do not have those details in front of me.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for MacKillop, order!

The Hon. J.M. Rankine: You can read it in The Advertiser.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Yes, I'll educate myself by reading the papers. I just want to say to my friends up there that I am not having a go at The Advertiser, just their levels of research.

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister will get back to the substance of the question.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Yes, Madam Speaker, I will, and I apologise for being so unruly—

The SPEAKER: Yes, you are.

The Hon. P. CAICA: —in responding to their rudeness. Look, I have not got those details in front of me. I will get back to the house on those specific details.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for MacKillop, leave the chamber for the rest of question time.

The honourable member for MacKillop having withdrawn from the chamber:

Mr GARDNER: Madam Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta.

Mr GARDNER: I seek a clarification. The minister was just engaged in some very obvious physical gestures to the opposition. Is that sort of behaviour parliamentary?

The SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Morialta. I did not quite hear what you said, but I gather you said 'some very obvious physical gestures'. I did not see them but, if he did do them, then I think he should apologise.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Madam Speaker, if it was construed as a physical gesture, I apologise. I did scratch my head with my finger like this—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Thank you.

The Hon. P. CAICA: —and if that was construed, I apologise.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, minister.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Unley, order!

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Norwood! He has apologised.

Mr Marshall: And he repeated it.

The SPEAKER: Order! It was a demonstration. Member for Bragg, would you like to ask a question and shut this conversation up?