Grievance Debate

Minister for Environment and Water

Ms HILDYARD (Reynell) (15:14): I rise today deeply concerned about water, as are thousands of South Australians. Without any guarantees about the future of our water, without any ability on that side the house to negotiate, to stand up for South Australia, all that we are guaranteed is that, at the whim of others, we will just have to accept what we are given.

This Liberal minister, the member for Black, is in serious trouble. His has landed himself in deep trouble for putting South Australians' interests last and our water security at risk. According to the royal commissioner, who is not, as the Premier put it, ludicrous, this minister acted so contrary to the interests of South Australians that there is almost certainly a breach of the South Australian Ministerial Code of Conduct. What an incredible declaration, which, as I said, lands this minister, through his own complete and utter lack of ability to negotiate, in serious trouble.

I have had the privilege of representing people in negotiations over decades, of representing individuals and dozens and sometimes hundreds of workers at workplaces. I have the deep privilege of representing thousands to impact change across whole industries. As we all do here, I have the incredible privilege of representing community members in my electorate.

Like all of us, I am far from perfect, but I perfectly understand—as does everyone on this side of the house, as does any effective negotiator, as do people in the electorates of Black and Reynell—what is key to any successful negotiation. Fundamental to any negotiation, at the very core of why you enter a negotiation, is the deep understanding of and commitment to what those people you represent in that negotiation want, what their hopes and aspirations are, how they want to feel and what they want to achieve. It is that which you relentlessly represent. It is that which drives you and it is that which every decision you make is grounded in.

'What is the best outcome for those I represent?' should occupy your every thought and feeling throughout your negotiation. This minister does not understand this basic principle. He is not driven by this. This minister did not think for a second about what was best for the people of South Australia—a thought which should have occupied his every waking moment and shaped his every word and action, every letter he wrote, his every decision. He failed this fundamental core step of representing people in a negotiation.

How glad others must have been to have this new negotiator in the room. How cordial it must have been. It is a wonder we did not hear the backslapping, the pouring of drinks and the lighting of cigarettes from here. I am sure that our South Australian minister was welcomed with open arms. If this was not so terrible for the people of South Australia, we could congratulate those other ministers about how well they delivered for those they represent.

Earlier in the week, the minister mentioned how committed he was to reach consensus. A good negotiator only reaches consensus when the interests of those they represent are fulfilled. The minister says he broke the deadlock. When you capitulate and do not fight for those you represent, the deadlock will indeed be pretty quickly broken. When I was thinking about my words today and the appalling lack of desire by this minister to stand up for South Australians, to reach a consensus that includes their interests, I thought more about the art of negotiation.

I am sure the minister does not want to take my advice, but today is Library Lovers' Day, so I thought I could share some details of publications to seek advice. Perhaps he could go to the parliamentary library and see if they stock these books: the international bestselling Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In; or perhaps Negotiating on Behalf of Others;Game, Set, Match: Winning the Negotiations Game;The Complete Beginner's Guide to Negotiation Skills; Principles of Negotiation; Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life—or perhaps your ministry or reputation—Depended on It; Getting Past No might help; or perhaps simply Negotiation Basics: Concepts, Skills, and Exercises.

Or, if he really wants to improve, next Tuesday the International Visualisation Centre here in Adelaide is hosting a negotiation course for $660. I am sure people would be happy to chip in. Subjects include 'Understanding the basis of "principled" negotiation', 'Discovering the difference between interests and positions', 'Exploring the concept of mutual gain', 'Knowing how to bargain and close a negotiation' and 'Understanding challenges in negotiations and how to overcome them'.

This complete lack of negotiation skills and the alliance of this troubled Minister for Environment with a wayward federal government does not get us the result we want. This minister ignores climate change, he ignores the best available science, and he ignores South Australians. Our communities deserve so much better.

The SPEAKER: Someone once bought Trump: The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump for me as a youngster. That is another one.