MARINE PARKS

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:16): My question is to the protected species, the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

Mrs REDMOND: Can the minister explain—

Members interjecting:

Mrs REDMOND: —when they're settled.

The SPEAKER: Order! Can we have some order? I didn't hear that comment, and I think it's a good job I didn't.

Mrs REDMOND: It wasn't worth it. Can the minister explain what the total cost of the proposed marine park management plans will be to South Australia and how this will be afforded? There is no money budgeted in the forward estimates to pay for displaced fishing compensation, the initial establishment or the ongoing management, monitoring and research costs associated with the marine parks.

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:17): I think it is incredible—a protected species. I just hope they don't club you like Adrian wants to club the seals, but anyway—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —let me make this point if I can, Madam Speaker.

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! What is your point of order?

Mr PEDERICK: The only people who are talking about clubbing seals are the Minister for Mineral Resources and the Minister for Sustainability.

The SPEAKER: I don't think that was a point of order; I think it was probably a personal opinion. Minister, I refer you back to the question.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Yes, Madam Speaker. I was just making a point about protected species, and I will not deviate again.

The SPEAKER: Thank you.

The Hon. P. CAICA: What this government has always said is that South Australia's marine environment supports an incredible array of plants and animals, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. The marine parks program, as the Premier has said, is essentially about taking the next step to ensure that we can strike a balance between protecting the environment and ensuring that its commercial and recreational values can be sustained in the long term.

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order: standing order 98. The question was about what it is going to cost and how it is going to be funded.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. A minister can answer a question. If the substance of the minister's answer relates to the question, then there is no issue about debate. So, minister, it is part of your explanation, I understand.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Yes, Madam Speaker, it is putting it in context. I will also say this: the government also took the view that it is an issue that must be addressed now, that is, the marine parks system must be addressed now before it is too late—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —and future generations are left with marine issues which will be much more difficult to fix and prevent in the future. And, by the way, the government has been consistent with this approach from before we actually became government. What I have been quoting from is the Liberal's press release from—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: This was your script from 6 December 2001 and we have been consistent with respect to—

An honourable member: Who was the minister?

The Hon. P. CAICA: The then minister Evans. We have, with respect to their response, a contingency, with respect to the commitments that we—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —have made.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Davenport, order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: I am also aware of some of the outrageous claims being made about the cost of marine parks.

Mrs REDMOND: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Order! What is your point of order?

Mrs REDMOND: Relevance of the answer. The question was clearly that they haven't budgeted anything to pay for this new marine park management strategy. How is he going to pay for it?

The SPEAKER: I heard the minister say they had some contingency plans.

The Hon. P. CAICA: That is true, Madam Speaker, and in reality marine parks will pay for themselves in the longer term because of the benefit that will accrue—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —to South Australia—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —in this generation—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —and future generations. There has been some blatant scaremongering that has been undertaken by the opposition. We have kept to every commitment we have made with respect to marine parks and will continue to do so and, in fact, our sanctuary zones that are being proposed are for only 6 per cent of the state's waters. What I say is this, in the role that government plays, we have provided for contingencies with respect to the costs involved in marine parks.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!