Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:29): My question is to the Attorney-General. Has the Attorney-General yet apologised to Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commissioner, Bret Walker SC? Mr Speaker, with your leave, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Dr CLOSE: On 10 August, the Attorney-General received a letter from the royal commissioner stating three sentences:

I have been informed of a public statement from your office about these matters. It is wrong, discourteous and inappropriate…I am owed an apology.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition is warned, and so is the member Hammond from before.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (14:29): I thank the member for the question because it does give me an opportunity to encourage her, firstly, to read—

Dr Close: Apologise.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —all the correspondence—

Dr Close interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is called to order.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —and, in addition to that, note the things—

Ms Stinson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Bacdoe is warned.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —that have occurred since that correspondence. The first thing that has occurred is that in fact the subpoenas were withdrawn. The second thing is—

Dr Close: Because you wouldn't give them an extension.

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is called to order.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —that as a consequence—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader and the member for Lee are warned.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —the High Court proceedings were withdrawn.

Dr Close interjecting:

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Well, I can hear some shrieking from the other side about this. I am happy to explain the measure.

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is warned for a second and final time. Despite my warnings, she continues to interject when the Deputy Premier is attempting to answer the question. If she continues, she will be departing.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: I can remember reading some fairly similar language used in respect of—

The Hon. T.J. Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Primary Industries is not helping and is warned.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —the federal minister Mr Littleproud, who was also the base of some invective from Mr Walker, so I have noticed that there has been a general concern by Mr Walker when people disagree with his opinions. I think what is very important—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens is warned for a second and final time.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —is that whilst he does raise some concerns—

Mr Malinauskas: Ignore the ICAC commissioner, ignore the royal commissioner.

The SPEAKER: Leader!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —about circumstances where there have been some difference of opinion on matters, he doesn't like that obviously. Nevertheless, we are the client, the State of South Australia, the government of South Australia, and we are paying him some $8 million to undertake a commission—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

Mr Odenwalder interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is warned for a second and final time.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —and he has indicated that, even in the absence of compliance initially with the subpoenas, he was able to complete that report. We thank him for continuing that work and accept his assurance that he will have it ready on time in February 2019. We look forward to receiving that report. I just point out one thing that has happened since then that I think is important for the house to know; that is, notwithstanding the initial resistance to the production of documents by the commonwealth, they did in fact provide them, and I appreciate that.

Dr Close interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I remind the deputy leader that she is on two warnings.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: They haven't all turned up to give evidence, which I think is unfortunate—

Dr Close interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader will leave for half an hour under standing orders 137 and 137A.

The honourable member for Port Adelaide having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —because we would like to think that all that material would be available, including the availability of evidence, to consider his findings and the recommendations. We look forward to receiving his report.

On this side, we are getting on with the important issues to conclude the business in relation to the effectiveness, workability and enforceability of the Murray-Darling Basin agreement and compliance with the Water Act. These are very important issues for South Australia. We agreed with the former premier when he announced there would be a royal commission in relation to this matter, and we are doing what we can to support its successful conclusion.