Waste Management

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:12): My question is again to the Minister for Environment and Water. Was the minister instructed to make public statements to change his position on his public statement supporting the consideration of fortnightly rubbish collection?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order: that question contains argument and assumes—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I have the point of order. I am going to allow the point of order. Minister.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my right!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my right! The minister has the call. Minister.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (15:12): I was not instructed by anyone to take that position.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: It was a position that I reached after consideration. I will always be open, as I have said many times, to working with the waste management industry. We are a party that is very keen—a government that is keen—to provide that industry with the resources, the strategies and the support to grow. We did so with our recent $12 million assistance package, which will be provided directly to the waste management industry to help them innovate in the face of the China sword problems that are being faced by that industry. There is absolutely no question that this government is right behind that industry but, as I have said a number of times, we are not in a situation in South Australia where we can move to fortnightly rubbish collections at this stage.