River Murray Flood

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (15:13): My question is to the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water. Did the minister become aware that the River Murray flooding would peak around December/January last year and was this before or after she went overseas? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: The Minister for Climate, Environment and Water was away between 8 December 2022 and 9 January 2023 during the peak of what the Minister for Emergency Services described as 'the worst natural disaster in the state's history' and what the Premier described as 'a natural disaster everyone knew was coming'. This was her third international trip in three months.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Minister for Defence and Space Industries, Minister for Climate, Environment and Water) (15:14): I appreciate being asked the question. The peak, as the member has indicated, occurred not long after Christmas and was well telegraphed in advance and in fact was part of the early phase of the response to the flood before it was declared officially an emergency and therefore others took the lead.

I am aware that the opposition has raised objections to my travel. I was interested that one of their objections was to my attendance at COP in November which was indeed when there were floodwaters rising. But the idea that a South Australian minister for climate wouldn't go to COP I guess is not surprising, given that no-one went to COP in the previous four years. COP is not only entirely about the issue of climate change—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: Not only, of course, about the issue of climate change—and I think most of us, if not perhaps all on the other side, accept that with more energy in the system as a result of global warming we are seeing more extreme events and therefore the kind of experience of having three La Niñas in a row and the amount of water that came down the system was not unconnected from climate change but also the very important role that we had to play in the world—

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Hammond!

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: —telling others about the very proud record that we have from our time in government. I am not sure much happened during the fours years, but in the renewable energy which has made us—and in fact it was interesting at COP because people had not heard from us—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey! Order!

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: —and in fact all they—

The SPEAKER: The Deputy Premier has the call.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for West Torrens! Member for Florey! The Deputy Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: —remembered of South Australia, once I started reminding them of the extraordinary record we have, was that they remembered about the big battery, that was something they were aware of, and then there was this great black period during which all they knew about—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: —South Australia and Australia was that Scott Morrison—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Badcoe!

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: —the person on their side of politics, the climate denier, was the Prime Minister. So it was essential—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: —that we be over there, representing ourselves.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Wright! Member for Unley, are you raising a point of order?

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: I am, thank you.

The SPEAKER: Very well.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: The minister was asked specifically about her absence during the peak of the Murray floods and why she was at London Bridge rather than being at Murray Bridge.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Florey is on a final warning. The member for Wright knows better. Member for Newland!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Standing order 98—I understand the member raises standing order 98 which requires the minister to respond to the substance of the question.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: I love the misinformation. I won't bother to correct their details, but they have no idea where I was at Christmas. So first of all there is the challenge of why it was that it's acceptable to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Mawson! Order!

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: —criticise the Minister for Climate going to COP.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey!

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: The question also related to the fact that I had family time over Christmas, and not where you think I was, but that's okay. It puzzled me why there was so much obsession about that given that the Minister for Emergency Services was taking responsibility for the flood and was extremely well positioned to take responsibility for my portfolio of climate, environment and water during that time. It occurred to me that the reason probably that there is so much mystification on this side is that there is no concept of team over there, there is no concept of trust.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: There is no idea. What we hear on the radio is that there is only one person who does any work and everyone else is fighting with each other. But what happens over here is that when one person needs some time with their family, someone else steps up and fills in and vice versa.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morphett is warned for a final time.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: I have acted for nearly every minister on this side in the last year. With absolutely no leave, I have acted for nearly every minister, including the Premier, several times during that period. If I need a short amount of time with my family, I am prepared to trust the minister to take that role.