Question Time

MURRAY-DARLING BASIN PLAN

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:04): My question is to the Minister for Water and the River Murray. Is it the government's position that it will not accept a River Murray plan which returns anything less than 3,500 gigalitres to the environment?

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:04): We recently forwarded to the federal minister our response—

Mrs Redmond: It is easy to say yes or no.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: I thank the leader for her welcoming advice. What we say, and what South Australia has been consistent about saying on every occasion, is that—

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —we will not accept a plan that does not deliver the Murray-Darling Basin to an appropriate level of sustainable health. Of course, what we want is an outcomes-based result; that is—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my left, order! There is too much noise in here and it is very difficult to hear.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Madam Speaker, we have been very consistent with this. South Australia is the only state fighting for the future of the River Murray, and if South Australia does not do it no other state will. Of course, we would like the opposition to come on board with this approach. It is the case—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: We have always said that we will not accept a plan that does not deliver on the objects of the act. The objects of the act, of course, are to ensure—

Mrs Redmond: How much water?

The Hon. P. CAICA: If I can just quote the opposition spokesperson on this particular matter—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister is answering your question. You will have some order.

The Hon. P. CAICA: On 28 May 2012 the opposition spokesperson was asked—

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order. The opposition is very clear. We know what we have said; we are trying to work out what the government has said and what the government is thinking. It is called question time, minister.

The SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. The minister can answer the question as he chooses; he does not need to make a yes or no answer.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: Thank you, Madam Speaker. What we have consistently said in all submissions to the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to date is that we will not accept a plan that does not deliver on the objects of the act, the objects of the act being to return the system to an appropriate level of sustainable health. Of course, there are quite a lot of other issues—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: Well, you can measure what is an appropriate level of sustainable health. What we can say at the moment is that it is quite clear, on the analysis undertaken by this state, that that being proposed by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority—2,750 gigalitres of water—will not meet the objects of the act.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: If I heard the member for Chaffey, the solution is this: for all South Australians to back this South Australian government to ensure that this state—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —in turn, delivers not only for South Australia but the rest of Australia in ensuring a plan that meets the objects of the act, a plan that delivers the Murray-Darling Basin system to an appropriate level of sustainable health.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! If we have continual interruptions and delays we will not get through the question list and I will not be prepared to extend. Member for Ashford.