River Murray Levees

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (14:37): My question is to the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water. Has the government developed a comprehensive plan for the management of River Murray levees moving forward? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr PEDERICK: It has been eight months since the River Murray flood and landowners are getting very anxious that the government hasn't formulated a plan.

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) (14:38): It's interesting to characterise it as eight months since the flood. In many ways the flood clean-up is still occurring and the impact of the floods—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, Member for Hammond! Deputy Premier, please be seated. Member for Hammond, your interjections have commenced immediately after you have asked the question, so I have in hand standing order 137 and I will not hesitate to use it. We are going to turn to the Deputy Premier and you might have your answer.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: Since the peak of the flood and during the time while we have still been working on dewatering areas—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey is warned. The Deputy Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: During the period in which dewatering has been occurring and the immediate works on the levees, particularly those in the Lower Murray, the agricultural levees, which required stabilisation in order to facilitate the dewatering, during the time that has been occurring there has been a working group led by DPC, which is the recovery agency, working on what the longer-term plan will be. That working group has also, of course, comprised PIRSA and DEW, both of which are agencies that are intimately involved in the management of the river and also the need to ensure ongoing primary production in the area. They have worked on a proposal, which is under consideration by the government.