Murray-Darling Basin Plan

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:14): My question is to the Premier. Does the Premier have any advice that the 450 gigalitres due to South Australia by 2024 will not be delivered?

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (14:14): The state government is still very much of the view that the plan continues apace. We have some concerns about the delivery of the 450 gigalitres by 2024, but that's no reason just to throw out the plan and stop doing projects. If the reconciliation of the plan might see some of the water come after 2024, we shouldn't just put projects on hold, rip that funding out of regional communities and deny them their jobs.

I have been very open about the functioning of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and my opinions around that, that this is a plan that is working. It is delivering water, albeit more slowly than I would like. I think the key to getting this plan to work and getting the 450 gigalitres is to keep all the states at the table and continue to deliver water for the environment. It's water for the environment that we're after, the full length of the river, getting right down to the Murray Mouth, the Lower Lakes and the Coorong.

We are making significant progress towards that. There are 150 gigalitres of projects in assessment. I was able to announce moments ago a project of over 15 gigalitres of water, signed off and moving towards definite delivery, and that is so much more than the less than two gigalitres that the mob opposite delivered from South Australia.

Mr Brown: When are we getting our 450?

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Playford!