Bordertown Community Early Flood Warning System

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:41): Supplementary question: can the minister—

An honourable member interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Notwithstanding the $150,000 in the previous question, can the minister inform the chamber whether, given that the creek flows maybe 2½ years out of 10, and the last time it flooded the main street of Bordertown was 1956, it is a sound investment of taxpayers' money?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:41): Here we go, we've got a Liberal Party over here that doesn't believe in investing in early warning systems, flood systems, in country South Australia. He doesn't believe giving early warning advice to country people in South Australia is worth the investment of taxpayers' money. He will have to wear that comment for the rest of his life in this place. According to the Hon. David Ridgway—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: —it is not worth our time investing in country South Australia, in Bordertown in the South-East, to give those towns early warning of flood. This is something the government is keen to do right across the state, working with local communities. Early warning of flood events is important for the SES, for local government to warn their communities to prepare for flood events. We will talk to all local governments across the state. The Hon. Mr Ridgway, on behalf of the Liberal Party, says, 'We don't care about that, we don't care about investing in country South Australia. We don't believe they should get an investment like the city does.' The South Australian Liberals will not stand up for country South Australia but the state government will.