Water Pricing

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:23): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Climate Change and Minister for Water and the River Murray a question regarding someone that everyone knows, other than the minister, namely, Professor Dick Blandy.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: Professor Dick Blandy is a renowned professor and respected by all, up until now, on both sides of politics. Yesterday on 891 ABC, Mr Henschke, the presenter, talked about an excerpt of Dick Blandy from a previous interview. In that previous interview, Professor Blandy said that, when it came to capital city water pricing, Adelaide had the highest water prices in Australia. Is the minister, for once, going to tell the parliament that that is true or is he going to try to continue to muck around with little places such as the Gold Coast in comparison with our state? My question therefore is: once and for all, can the minister confirm that either Professor Dick Blandy is wrong in his allegations—

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: I have a point of order, Mr President. Mr President, you have been letting the government benches talk throughout the Hon. Robert Brokenshire's question, and I actually was unable to hear his question because of the heckling from the government benches. I ask you to ensure that we can all hear what is going on in this chamber.

The PRESIDENT: I honestly wish that you had—

An honourable member interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Hold on! I honestly wish that you have as much concern for ministers when they are trying to give their answers when the Hon. Mr Brokenshire is screaming from the back. But you are right: the Hon. Mr Brokenshire has every right to read out his question without interference. I would like to hear that. The Hon. Mr Brokenshire.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: Thank you for protection, Mr President. Will the minister, once and for all, tell the truth to this parliament, and that is that Professor Dick Blandy is either right or wrong when it comes to the fact that South Australians are paying $150 million too much for their water annually compared with any other state-owned water utility providing water in Australia? What is the truth?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (15:26): It's crept in, Mr President. I thank the honourable member for his most important question.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Yes; and I just remind the honourable member that, whilst I said that I don't know Dick Blandy, it doesn't mean that I don't know of him, but I don't personally know him, so I would not presume to reflect on what his statements might be, as reported by the Hon. Mr Brokenshire in this place, hearing them second- or third-hand from a wireless announcer on the radio the other day.

What I can assure the honourable member is that I will always convey the truthful advice that is given to me and pass it on to this chamber. When I have that factual information, I expect the honourable member to also treat it in the way it is presented by the Bureau of Meteorology—not try to undermine it, not try to cherrypick it for his own particular purposes, not try to belittle it because it doesn't actually reinforce his own prejudicial views.