Water Pricing

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:30): I had to write the water policy, so I might know what is in it.

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Maher, the Hon. Ms Lensink has the floor.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Does the minister accept that the Essential Services Act provides a range of options for pricing and that, if the government had any mind to do it, it could provide a lot more independence to ESCOSA?

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): If ESCOSA had total independent control and could actually put in place some of its pure economic programs for efficiency, then the outcome of that would be that SA Water customers would be paying more. We know that is what the Liberal Party has endorsed. We know that that is what their fellow travellers in the Institute of Public Affairs want—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Maher, the minister has the floor.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: —and we know for sure that that is what this mob opposite would stand for. They would stand idly by—

The Hon. R.I. Lucas interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Lucas!

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: —while hard ideological economic winds blew through the system of SA Water and made the people of South Australia, SA Water customers, pay more for their water. That is what they stand for.