Water Industry Reform

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:08): Supplementary, sir: is this one of the matters that the Treasurer discussed with Dr Paul Kerin prior to his resignation?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:08): Prior to Mr Kerin's resignation, I was not the Treasurer: I was the energy minister. The discussions I had with Mr Kerin were in relation to energy policy and energy regulation. I will have to discuss with the water minister what conversations he may have had, or the former treasurer may have had.

Regardless of that, the government is the master of its own destiny, we decide what the policy parameters are, and the regulator is the master of their own destiny and they decide the regulation that they implement on the policies that we set. That is how it works in South Australia and that is how it works in Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and the commonwealth. If anyone has any plans to change that, they should announce it immediately.

The SPEAKER: Supplementary, leader.