Question Time

Murray-Darling Basin Plan

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:08): My question is to the Premier. When was the last time the Premier spoke to the Prime Minister about developments in the management of the Murray-Darling Basin? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Dr CLOSE: Last year, the federal government ruled out any further voluntary buyback of Murray-Darling Basin water for the environment, and yesterday the federal government ruled out funding any water efficiency measures on farms to free up water for the environment.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:09): I speak to the Prime Minister on a very regular basis on a range of subjects, and one of those is, of course, water. This is also an item which is on the agenda of the former COAG and now the national reform council.