House of Assembly Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1) 53 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Water Pricing Water Pricing Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Dunstan Leader of the Opposition Water Pricing Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:48): My question is to the Premier. What does the Premier say to South Australian families who are now paying almost $600 more each year for water, given that the government promised that its water price watchdog, ESCOSA, would keep water bills under control? The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Well, it's not the classic formulation of a question seeking information, but Treasurer. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly West Torrens Minister for Finance Minister for State Development Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy Minister for Small Business The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:48): No—more, sir, a desperate man clinging onto power with all his hope. What we would say to the people of South Australia is: we have ensured our water security into the future. We have built a desalination plant that guarantees our water— Mr Marshall interjecting: The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: You're looking a little bit desperate— Mr Marshall interjecting: The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —a little bit hysterical and a little bit desperate. I know you're having a bad year. It's nearly over, and we're going to finish it for you soon, no problems. What I would say to the people of South Australia is that we are securing our water future. There was a time when water reserves in this state were becoming dangerously low and the drought was impacting on the very viability of our ability to run our economy. We have waterproofed this state from the next drought. Future generations will look back on that decision to build a desalination plant with pride. They will say, 'That was the right thing to do. It was a bold decision to build that desalination plant.' The Leader of the Opposition has form on infrastructure: he opposed Adelaide Oval, he opposed the hospital and he opposed the desal plant. There is not one piece of infrastructure we have built where the Leader of the Opposition has said it was a good idea—but he's happy to take tickets to Adelaide Oval, he will be happy to use the hospital and no doubt he drinks our desalinated water. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Supplementary, the member for Morialta.