South-East Water Allocations

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:56): My question is again to the Minister for Environment and Water. Can the minister advise the house if he is having an alternative science review because he disagrees with the science-science that the water resource is under pressure and is deteriorating at the current extraction levels—

The Hon. D.G. Pisoni: It's the political science, doctor, the political science.

Dr CLOSE: That may well be the answer, but there is science-science that says that the water is under pressure. Does the minister disagree with—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Dr CLOSE: —real science and need alternative science?

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (14:57): I have taken the opportunity not only since becoming the minister but during an extended period as shadow minister to speak to people on the ground in the South-East. I visited the South-East. I connected with that regional community, and I spoke to many stakeholders, particularly businesses, who felt that they had been unfairly treated and ignored by the Labor government because the Labor government, we know, doesn't really care about businesses in this state. They drove down our exports and they want to put a lever, a handbrake, on our economic development in this state.

Independent scientific advice has been sought by farmers in the South-East and presented to me, which was at odds with the science that was used to reach the water allocation plan reductions going forward. With that level of uncertainty in the mix, I didn't feel that it would be responsible for the government of the day to move forward with reductions in water allocations that would have a direct economic impact, in a negative sense, on the production of businesses—farmers, grape growers, wine producers—in the South-East.

When so much uncertainty is at play, why would government go ahead with these economically negative practices? So there is different science. Scientific evidence is on the table that quite clearly has an alternative viewpoint. As the minister, I have to look at those alternative views. The businesses in the South-East don't have confidence. If the deputy leader wants to take her elitist position, she can do that—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —ignoring people in the South-East, but I will focus on coming up with a middle ground, in consultation with businesses in the South-East, which I hope will deliver better economic growth there.