Murray-Darling Basin Plan

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:29): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Water and the River Murray questions regarding the Murray-Darling Basin.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: In evidence to the Budget and Finance Committee last week, representatives from DEWNR outlined that, under the agreement with the commonwealth, every 10 years South Australia is required to ensure that 120 gigalitres of water is put back into the river for the environment. My questions for the minister are:

1. Can the minister provide information about how many gigalitres have been returned since the agreement has been in place?

2. Can the minister also provide details about how much has been returned under this agreement on an annual basis, and what the obligation is over the 10-year period?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:30): Let me just briefly refresh my memory from my notes on that matter. I can, whilst I am perusing them, advise that our share of water return in terms of gigalitres—and this is the overall share—is about 183 gigalitres that is returned to the river, (not on an annual basis, of course) and we are currently up to about 140 gigalitres. I am also advised that we are well on track to achieve that and I think I have put that on the record previously, and we should probably hit our targets well before the other states. In terms of the annual feed-in to the river, I do not have that information immediately at hand. I am afraid I will have to take that on notice and bring it back for the honourable member.