Parliamentary Committees

NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE: EYRE PENINSULA WATER SUPPLY

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. G.A. Kandelaars:

That the report of the committee on Eyre Peninsula Water Supply—Under the lens, be noted.

(Continued from 19 September 2012.)

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (17:12): I rise to speak in support of the motion moved by the Hon. Mr Kandelaars who covered the situation very clearly in his presentation on the last Wednesday of sitting. Certainly the committee has taken very seriously the inquiry into the water supply on Eyre Peninsula which was raised with us by the member for Flinders. There are certainly conflicting views about the future of water supplies on Eyre Peninsula, ranging from SA Water, the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources and, of course, the local community.

The committee has taken a significant amount of evidence, it has had some public forums on Eyre Peninsula, it has had some site visits and intends to do more of that next month, but we felt that we needed to get independent technical advice to have a look at the evidence and come up with a better informed final report. This report has one recommendation in that the committee has the resources to fund some independent advice on the evidence we have had.

In light of the advice received on the Murray-Darling Basin report inquiry from Dr Mark Siebentritt, we were very impressed with the quality of that advice and we seek to go down a similar track. With those few words, I support the work of the committee, the Chair (Hon. Steph Key), all members and staff, and commend the report to the council.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (17:14): I thank the Hon. John Dawkins for his summation and I will leave it at that point.

Motion carried.