Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:21): Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Minister for Environment and Water. Before the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council meeting in December last year, was the minister's department aware that the minister was going to agree to those criteria?

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (15:21): Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the deputy leader for her question. In fact, a very significant thing has happened: she has today asked me more questions than she asked me for the whole of 2018—for the whole of 2018! I have to apologise to the Minister for Education for taking all this time.

The SPEAKER: Minister, please do not provoke the opposition.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Mr Speaker—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Please!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —my department was absolutely aware. I worked alongside them, as I have said a number of times during today, both in my contribution this morning and during question time today. I have made it very clear—

Ms Hildyard: What, 'I'm not going to stand up for South Australia; what do you think?'

The SPEAKER: Member for Reynell!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —that I had two pathways presented to me, and I worked through those with advisers within my department. Those pathways are a pathway to water and a pathway to no water, a pathway that delivers water, or a pathway to games, gimmicks and grandstanding, which is what we had for many years leading up to the change of government. Did that deliver for South Australia? Did that deliver for Riverland communities? Did that deliver for the Coorong, the Lower Lakes and the Murray basin within our state? No, it didn't. It delivered one-quarter of 1 per cent—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —of the 450 gigalitres of vital water that is required for the health of that river. We now have a pathway, and the opposition can make a lot of noise, and they can get their T-shirts and their hats, and their tweets, etc., but at the end of the day, we now have this clear pathway with New South Wales and Victoria back at the table, with real water being planned today. While the opposition make a lot of noise—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Mr Speaker, while the opposition—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —make a huge amount of noise, there are farmers in New South Wales and Victoria—

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister for Education!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —who are planning to deliver water—real water. There is now real water—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The minister will be seated for one moment. The member for Reynell can depart for half an hour under 137A, as can the member for Hammond.

Mr Pederick: Seriously?

The SPEAKER: Yes, you. Half an hour, thank you. I'm trying to listen to the Minister for Environment and Water.

The honourable members for Reynell and Hammond having withdrawn from the chamber:

The SPEAKER: The minister has the call.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Thank you, Mr Speaker, for your protection. We have a pathway towards real water: previously, we didn't. The River Murray and Murray-Darling Basin agreement are incredibly complex, but in some ways it's very, very simple: there's a pathway to water and a pathway that doesn't lead to water. Those opposite don't want water; they want games and gimmicks and grandstanding. We want water, which will sustain Riverland communities—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —sustain tourism and sustain our precious natural environment in the Coorong and the Lower Lakes. It is a straightforward argument, and we are about practical outcomes and delivering for South Australia.