Aquaculture Industry

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (15:30): Supplementary, and the temptation is to repeat the earlier question, but I won't.

The SPEAKER: No, resist temptation.

Mr TRELOAR: Supplementary: what due diligence was undertaken by the government (1) in relation to the site itself, given there were three companies involved at various stages all going broke, and (2) in relation to the companies involved?

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport, Minister for Racing) (15:31): I again thank the member for Flinders for the question and acknowledge his genuine interest, as opposed to the member for Bragg, who just wants to get up here—

The SPEAKER: The minister is called to order. I will deal with any misconduct by the member for Bragg. It is not for the minister to comment on the conduct of the member for Bragg.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: For two of the four minutes that I was trying to answer the previous question, I had them yelling out at me.

The SPEAKER: Yes, I—

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: —so if you provide no protection to the person who is on their feet—

The SPEAKER: —will accept that the minister was sorely provoked by the member for Bragg, but would he now address the question without reference to the member for Bragg.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Thank you, sir. PIRSA has engaged a supplier, who will begin removing equipment from the former sites in the very near future. The site rehabilitation—

Mr TRELOAR: Point of order: my supplementary question was about the due diligence the government undertook on the site and the companies involved.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: This is news—

The SPEAKER: It's leading into the answer.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Absolutely, and it actually tells the story of what is happening over there and the work that PIRSA has done to get this—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Well, I think the most important thing is that we get the mess cleaned up over there. That is the most important thing. The most important thing—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Look at all the experts. The most important thing is that there is an environmental mess over on Eyre Peninsula, and that's my priority—to get that cleaned up.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Your priority is to come in here and play politics; mine isn't. My priority is to clean up this mess. PIRSA has engaged a supplier, who will begin removing equipment from the former sites in the very near future. The site rehabilitation is expected to be completed by the end of this year. PIRSA will actively pursue the former lease and licence holder under the provisions of the Aquaculture Act in relation to the failure to rehabilitate the site and to recover any costs incurred by PIRSA to rehabilitate the site. In addition, PIRSA has called in bank guarantees held against the aquaculture leases to partially offset the costs to rehabilitate the sites.

PIRSA has also been advised of debris from Ocean Abalone Australia No 1 Pty Ltd's marine-based aquaculture sites being washed up on local beaches near Elliston and nearby Waldegrave Island. Fisheries officers are conducting regular beach and sea patrols of the area, including Waldegrave Island, and have removed debris and/or secured debris for removal as soon as weather and transport—

Mr TRELOAR: Point of order: I would ask that the minister return to the substance of the supplementary question I asked.

The SPEAKER: Which is the question of due diligence.

Mr TRELOAR: Due diligence.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: As I said, our priority is to get in and clean this up by the end of the year—that's our priority. We will have a look at those other issues as time goes by, but our priority is to get in there and clean up.

The SPEAKER: The motion before the house is that the house note grievances. The Standing Orders Committee is delighted to see that the member for Finniss has the first grievance speech.