House of Assembly Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time SA Water Bills SA Water Bills Mr TELFER House of Assembly Flinders SA Water Bills Mr TELFER (Flinders) (14:33): My question is to the Treasurer. What does the Treasurer say to South Australians like Mr Andrew Costello about their water bill increases? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain. Leave granted. Mr TELFER House of Assembly Flinders Mr TELFER: It was reported in The Advertiser that media personality Andrew Costello received an unpleasant surprise when he was hit with a water bill of approximately $1,000, more than 60 per cent up from his average cost of $600. The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN House of Assembly Lee Treasurer Minister for Defence and Space Industries Minister for Police The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Treasurer, Minister for Defence and Space Industries, Minister for Police) (14:34): Can I thank the member for Flinders for his question because, as the Premier has just articulated to the house, the government has taken a decision to ensure that we have the capacity in our state to invest in the water infrastructure that is required to bring thousands of additional new homes onto the market so that young South Australians have the opportunity to get into affordable housing in the future. We are very conscious as a government that for other places around the nation, particularly places like Sydney, that have very high median house prices, home ownership for young Australians feels completely out of reach and so we are taking the decisions that are required to put home ownership back within grasp for young people. As the Premier has articulated, an increase to water bills to ensure that we are able to generate the revenues to invest in that water infrastructure into the future, as well as the very significant contribution from the state's balance sheet, as well as the significant contributions from developers, are making sure that we do that. Andrew Costello is one of the most loved South Australians. He spends an enormous amount of time travelling the breadth of this state, including a number of incredibly picturesque locations in the member for Flinders' electorate, highlighting the opportunities that are available to South Australians—and, indeed, all Australians—to come and visit our state and experience what we have to offer. He has undoubtedly turned that really noble endeavour into a terrific career and we are really grateful that he has had the opportunity to do that. I saw the media article that reported on Mr Costello's bill, more than $1,000 for a quarter of water use. I don't remember the details of the article verbatim, but I do recall part of his reflection on the water bill being a common refrain for parents of young children, that there was also a higher than normal level of water consumption involved in generating that bill. This is something that regrettably I have become familiar with, with three children under the age of 10, and of course, regrettably trying to do my bit for the Deputy Premier's endeavours, spending the winter just gone planting out my garden with all sorts of verdant foliage and trying to keep it alive during the current unseasonably dry conditions. While I recognise that the increase in water prices that the government has decided to pursue so that we can keep home ownership within reach of young South Australians is part of it, I also think we need to recognise that in these times, when South Australia hasn't experienced drought conditions for a good 15 to 17 years, going back to the Millennium Drought, those are the conditions that we are unfortunately now starting to experience across the state that are seeing water consumption levels increase, particularly in households. I share Mr Costello's pain, but, as the Premier has said, we have a deliberate focus on extending the more than $800 million of cost-of-living relief to those South Australians who need it the most. I am not sure that in this case Mr Costello is one of those recipients, but we are doing what we can to assist South Australians in need.