Question Time

International Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Management

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (14:46): My question is to the Minister for Water and the River Murray. Can the minister inform the house about collaboration between the state government and the International Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Management and how our local expertise in water management is helping other nations in our region?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:46): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. The International Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Management, otherwise known as ICE WaRM, is an Adelaide-based research centre established in 2004 to support the development of nationally accredited training in water resources management. It has developed a highly successful and awarded program of international exchanges and visits, as well as formal partnerships with more than 40 water management and related institutions internationally, mostly in Asia but also in Europe, the Americas and southern Africa.

South Australian water agencies and our three universities have also been involved with ICE WaRM for some time. This has contributed to our state's history of excellence in water management which is earning a fantastic reputation overseas. South Australia is a national and international leader in managing water for the environment, for irrigation efficiency, for urban water security, for integrated natural resources management and for water planning. In April 2013, the state government entered into a grant agreement with ICE WaRM. The aim of the agreement was for ICE WaRM to work with AusAID to promote Australian expertise and experience in water management in developing countries.

Based on this latest interim report, ICE WaRM continues to be very proactive in promoting South Australian water management expertise and fostering relationships with other countries. ICE WaRM has been collaborating with the CSIRO for some time now, I am advised. This collaboration is producing high quality outcomes and also presents a unified, one Australia face to our south Asian partners and collaborators. For example, ICE WaRM held a high level study program for senior officials from Pakistan between May and June 2015, and are working with the CSIRO in Pakistan to build capacity amongst water managers and to raise awareness of the approaches to water management used in this country.

As I understand it, this program may be expanded to include the Indian state of Rajasthan following the strengthening of ties between its government and the South Australian government in the establishment of a sister state relationship signed into agreement in October 2015. ICE WaRM supported both the trade mission to Rajasthan in October 2015 and the follow-up mission in February 2016 in order to assist in the development of a program of cooperation focused on the water sector, which is of course important to both states.

ICE WaRM has also built on a significant track record of visiting international delegations, including a recent visit from South American officials and a further visit from Chilean delegations which is in the planning stages. On Monday 16 May, I had the pleasure of meeting with the joint secretary of the Nepalese Water and Energy Commission, Mr Keshav Dhoj, and other officials of the government of Nepal. The delegation was hosted by ICE WaRM with the aim of fostering closer ties between South Australia and the Nepalese governments, especially in the areas of natural resources management where South Australia has significant strengths.

ICE WaRM has also supported a separate agreement with the Department of Primary Industries and Regions regarding training with the redevelopment of the Loxton Research Centre that will concentrate on South Australian agricultural research and production. One of the great benefits of this work is the strong relationship that can be formed between our local agencies, local organisations, industry and research bodies with both national and international counterparts.

South Australian government industry leaders gain considerable benefit from these relationships. They strengthen the reputation of the water sector in this state, which can only be good, particularly for our private-sector water industry. ICE WaRM continues to work very closely with officials in Pakistan, providing key opportunities to demonstrate South Australia's leadership in water management, with two missions from Pakistan planned in the near future, I am advised.

The future looks very bright for the continued strengthening and expanding of these very important relationships in these exchanges. They will grow our local water industry's expertise, we hope, also help countries in our region and beyond and foster important national and international collaboration. I would like to commend the work of ICE WaRM and all the agencies involved in these results and for the incredibly on-tempo question from the honourable member, who always has his finger on the pulse.