MURRAY-DARLING BASIN PLAN

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg) (15:14): My question is to the Minister for Water and the River Murray. Does the government's submission concerning the latest Murray-Darling Basin plan, provided to the Senate inquiry into legislation to appropriate $1.7 billion for returning additional water to the river basin, contain a demand that at least 450 gigalitres be returned? Information provided yesterday to the Senate inquiry into the proposed legislation established that, despite the Prime Minister and Premier declaring 450 gigalitres would be returned, no such provision is in the legislation.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (15:15): I take this question because it goes directly to a central issue which we have been negotiating nationally with the commonwealth government, and that is the future of this river and the return of 3,200 billion litres of water to the river. The combination of both the legislation, which provides the money, and the plan, which provides the objective of the extra 450 billion litres of water for the river, gives us a healthy river.

I noted that a senator for South Australia, Senator Birmingham, has been using every conceivable measure possible to avoid answering the simple question: do they support 3,200 gigalitres of water? Those opposite also refuse to answer—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —the simple question—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —do they support the 3,200 gigalitres of water? Yes or no? Are you with us or are you against us? Because if you are against us we will be reminding the South Australian community of the fact that—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —they are not prepared to stand up for a healthy river. We are on the verge of achieving an incredibly important breakthrough—

Mr GARDNER: Point of order: 98. The question was about what was in the submission.

The SPEAKER: I think the Premier is referring to it. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Our submission is that those opposite should lend their weight to passing the legislation and supporting the plan that will deliver us 3,200 gigalitres of water. I must say, it is passing strange that the people that wanted us to settle for 2,750 are now asking questions about how secure 3,200 is, but won't even commit to it. It is just so shallow and just so unbelievable that they won't even commit themselves to what is needed for a healthy river. Could they once—just once—stand up for South Australia and stop their petty party politicking?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I cannot hear the member for Bragg and that is very unusual.