WATER INDUSTRY ALLIANCE

The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:29): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Water and the River Murray about the Water Industry Alliance program.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: On Tuesday, I asked a question about the Water Industry Alliance funding. The minister provided to council a breakdown of the $265 million program. I quote from Hansard what the minister said:

The $265 million funding announcement is comprised of $180 million from the commonwealth Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure program, all of which will be put towards the Water Industry Alliance program, and $85 million from the South Australian Industry Futures Fund to be established for research, regional development and industry redevelopment in South Australia, with $60 million of the $85 million to be forwarded to the Water Industry Alliance program.

In his answer, he said that $60 million of the $85 million will be forwarded to the WIA, but he did not provide a further breakdown of where the remaining $25 million will go. If we add $180 million and $60 million, that equals only $240 million, which is not the amount of $265 million previously announced by the Premier. My questions are:

1. Can the minister outline the details of how the other $25 million will be spent?

2. Specifically, will the minister confirm whether the remaining $25 million of the funding will be injected into the River Murray communities, as promised by the Premier?

3. If the minister does not have the answers, can he investigate this matter with his department and bring back an answer to this council?

The PRESIDENT: Water and the River Murray—I admit I have a touch of deja vu here.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:31): I supposed the simple answer really is yes, but let me just revisit some of the figures I gave yesterday.

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: 'Let me just read the briefing paper I have read before.'

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Well, I can. I don't want to give the chamber an elementary lesson, but I would have thought to add up the $180 million that I mentioned yesterday and the $85 million that I mentioned yesterday, you would come to a figure of $265 million.