DESALINATION PLANT

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (15:10): So which takes priority? Is it environmental as in the minister's first answer, or is it the cost, as in his second answer?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:10): The two work together. The cost of delivering water from our reservoir system is the cheapest when there is water in the reservoirs. You have to understand, when the environmental conditions are such that there is no water in the River Murray and the water in the reservoirs has been drawn right down, that is when we will need to use the desal plant. It is the environment and the climate at the time and we will make the decisions based on that.