Water Efficiency Program

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:09): My question, again, is to the Premier. Was the Premier consulted by the federal government prior to yesterday's decision to end on-farm water efficiency projects?

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (14:09): I thank the deputy leader for her question. The state government is obviously very disappointed that the federal government has made this decision not to proceed with on-farm projects with regard to the return of the 450 gigalitres—

Mr Brown interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Playford!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —of water. However, a number of these projects have been advanced, including some being advanced in South Australia. However, this is not a surrender of any pathway to the 450 by any means. There is still the opportunity—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —for off-farm programs. We know that off-farm projects have far less impact on communities and irrigators, and particularly they provide a very significant economic stimulus to the communities in which they occur because they do tend to be large-scale engineering projects. These projects will be advanced, and in fact I was delighted to hear the announcement today—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Chaffey!

The SPEAKER: —that almost 16 gigalitres has been announced in an immediate project, which has gone through the assessment and which has been—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Leader!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —advanced in the Goulburn system within the river. So 16 gigalitres is some nine times the amount of water ever obtained under the opposition when they were in government. We continue to see this plan edge forward, perhaps a bit more slowly than we would like, but it is moving forward, and that is because we have taken the politics out of it and we get on with water delivery.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Before I call the deputy leader, I call to order the member for Hammond, I call to order the member for Cheltenham, I warn the member for Chaffey, I call to order the member for Playford and I call to order the Member for Ramsay.