EASTERN MOUNT LOFTY RANGES DRAFT WATER ALLOCATION PLAN

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (15:03): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Consumer Affairs, representing the Minister for Environment and Conservation, questions in relation to the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges Water Allocation Plan.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY: On Wednesday, 27 April, a government advertisement appeared in The Advertiser inviting comment on the draft Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges Water Allocation Plan. The advertisement made reference to a number of Natural Resource Management Board offices in regional areas including Murray Bridge, Mount Barker, Strathalbyn, Cambrai and Mount Pleasant. It is my understanding that these offices have all recently been opened in a climate where other offices, such as regional offices of the Department of Primary Industries and Resources, and valuation, have been closed. The Keith hospital is also likely to close for the sake of a miserable $300,000-odd shortfall in funding. My questions to the minister are:

1. What is the total cost of running these offices?

2. How many staff are employed at these offices?

3. On what basis are they readily accessible to the public and, if so, where can the contact details of each office be found?

4. Can the minister advise when I am likely to receive an answer, given that I have received precious little in terms of answers from the government in the past?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling) (15:04): I thank the honourable member for his most important questions. I will refer them to the Minister for Environment and Conservation in another place and bring back a response.

I just want to note that the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges prescribed water resources area is currently under review. There is a draft plan, which seeks to balance economic and social environmental needs by providing a set of rules for managing the resource. This is the advice that I have received. That draft plan is being developed in consultation with the community through three community advisory committees. The South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board is developing the draft plan with support from the Department for Water.

I have been advised that extensive scientific work has been undertaken to identify the resource capacity and the needs of the ecosystems and sustainable use limits. On 27 April, I am advised, the draft water allocation plan was released for public consultation, and the plan is open for a 14-week comment period. As I said, I have been advised that a number of public meetings have been held to assist this process. In terms of the specific questions asked, I will refer them to the Minister for Environment and Conservation in another place and bring back a response.