Community Wastewater Management System

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (14:39): My question is to the Minister for Environment and Water. Will the government match the commitment made by the opposition leader yesterday, pledging $91 million to connect to SA Water mains the approximate 4,700 households of the City of Tea Tree Gully's community wastewater system, which includes approximately 120 homes in the electorate of Florey? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Ms BEDFORD: Tea Tree Gully's Community Wastewater Management System is probably the oldest and largest in the metropolitan area. It has been an ongoing issue for the north-east for around 60 years. Since being elected, I have made representations to successive ministers, including you, sir, about this anomaly. I understand from the council the $91 million pledged likely includes householder conversion costs for decommissioning septic tanks and connecting to mains sewers that can range to up to $12,000, depending on site conditions. I believe a bipartisan commitment to addressing this anomaly could enable conversion works to start before the next election to the benefit of all in the COVID economic recovery.

The Hon. S.K. Knoll: This isn't the Legislative Council.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Transport is called to order. Be quiet.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (14:40): I thank the member for Florey for her question. I know this is a matter she has been following up for some years, which is in marked contrast to the opposition, who were in government for 16 years. They had an epiphany over the last few weeks. As well as the member for Florey bringing this to my attention, the person who has been bringing this to a significant amount of attention over recent weeks, months and years, and who initially brought this to my attention a couple of years ago when I became the minister, is of course the member for Newland, whose strong, dedicated and consistent advocacy stands in marked contrast to the 16 years of Labor administration.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: When it came to the CWMS, all we could hear from Labor for 16 years were crickets. Meanwhile, we heard all the anecdotes and stories that have come across the opposition leader's radar yesterday when he gave his grieve. The discovery of this problem clearly was a significant shock to him. It was not a shock to this side of the house, though, because, as I mentioned, the member for Newland—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —has been a persistent advocate for this matter. It is his advocacy that brought it onto the radar of the Labor Party of South Australia. I know on this side of the house my—

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: Minister, please be seated for one moment. There is a point of order. The point of order is for debate.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: I believe the specific question was about whether he would do something—

The SPEAKER: For debate.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: —not whether the Labor Party had already announced something.

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

The SPEAKER: Minister for Education, be quiet. We have the point of order. I uphold the point of order. Minister, I can only save you so much, and I ask you to come back to the substance of the question.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Context is so important in this job, and I needed to provide some context—context, which included 16 years, and then this marked contrast to the advocacy of the member for Newland and his consistent perseverance. There is no doubt this is very much in the government's sights. We have been working very closely with the member for Newland. There are a whole range of challenges with the CWMS and very significant problems being faced by people in the north-east. Not only were those people let down by the Labor Party, they were let down by a hopeless council as well, so we have to—

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: For debate? Yes.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Everyone is having a lot of fun; however, minister, there have been some gratuitous references to the Labor Party. I think we have now had enough. Let's go back to the substance of the question.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: I have moved on to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: I have moved away from the Labor Party—

The SPEAKER: Thank you.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —and I am talking about the local council. There are perhaps a couple of Labor Party members on that council as well who have not covered themselves in glory, that's for sure—Councillor Lucas Jones and the like. I will continue to work with SA Water and with the member for Newland—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —and we will try to work alongside—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for West Torrens, you can pay for that cacophony of noise. For the rest of question time, I am asking you to leave under 137A. I would like to hear the remainder of the minister's answer, if I may.

The honourable member for West Torrens having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: I will wind up, Mr Speaker, simply by saying fixing this problem which occurred under many, many years of poor governance from Tea Tree Gully council and a long-term ignorance of this problem by a 16-year Labor government is now very firmly a priority. It's a very, very significant—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Is there a point of order?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Is there a point of order, member for Florey? The member for Morphett and the member for Cheltenham can leave for the remainder of question time under 137A.

The honourable members for Morphett and Cheltenham having withdrawn from the chamber:

The SPEAKER: I am dealing with four things at a time here, so I will take that. Is there a point of order? No? Can you please wrap up your answer, minister, and then I am moving on to the member for Florey.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: I am wrapping up. We are looking at the CWMS. We certainly won't be taking Labor's costings for granted and copying their policy because after 16 years of failed costings we won't be paying any attention to that. I will work alongside this great advocate for the north-eastern suburbs, the member for Newland, and we will make this a priority.