Canberra Ministerial Business

Mr COWDREY (Colton) (14:54): A supplementary, sir: did the Deputy Premier attend the $5,000 per head political fundraiser for the Labor Party?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Minister for Workforce and Population Strategy) (14:55): I could just refer to my previous answer, because I referred to the dinner I attended for which I did not pay any money at all to attend. I was invited to a dinner that was hosted by the Prime Minister, the Treasurer and his front bench, and I took the opportunity—as I hope every minister in this government would—where, if you are able to be in the room with those people to put the case for South Australia, you do it.

I will give another example of the building of the relationship that has been occurring over the previous couple of years, and that is with the federal government over the River Murray. I accept that the leader did not have the easiest federal government to deal with, so I do not blame him at all for being less successful, but the fact that I have been able to forge a very strong relationship with Tanya Plibersek, furthered by a discussion last night, has resulted in her understanding of the very acute needs of South Australia to have a sustainable Murray-Darling Basin.

The Hon. D.G. Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Unley, it is against standing orders to interject.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: We have seen a significant amount of money come through the budget last night, again directed at water, that will be of great assistance to South Australia. I could give chapter and verse, but I suspect the opposition is not particularly interested.

There was also a small amount, relatively, that was of enormous significance to the entity that received it. The AW Landscape Board, the only natural resources management board in Australia that covers not only Aboriginal land but that also has only Aboriginal people on the board—which is a credit to previous ministers and previous governments as well—had not had as much money as they previously did for their next round of funding for projects.

Their projects are things like restoring the yellow-footed rock wallaby, the warru, and dealing with buffel grass, which I have to say is one of the most serious pests we face in this state. If you saw what happened with the fires in Hawaii you would understand the reasons we are concerned about it. As a result of representation I have been making to try to have that previous decision looked at again, another $600,000 has been given to that board.

The fact that we are able to have those conversations and build on that relationship is absolutely what we should be doing for South Australia.