Murray-Darling Basin Plan

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:43): I have a supplementary question arising out of the original answer to the question. Is it Liberal Party policy that users in South Australia should 'move to where the water is', as the national LNP water minister has told South Australians?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:43): No, that is not the Liberal Party's position. The honourable member well knows that. He knows that the Prime Minister—who is, you know, the chief guy—has guaranteed 3,200 gigalitres in full; the basin plan will be delivered in full.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Perhaps I can just explain it for—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The honourable Leader of the Government and the Hon. Mr Wade, allow the member to answer the question. The Hon. Ms Lensink.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Perhaps I can just explain it for the rather simple Leader of the Government as follows: the Prime Minister is a Liberal federal member of parliament and he is the Leader of the Government which has been elected by the people of Australia. He is the top guy. He sets the policy.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Just show a little respect for any member who is on their feet trying to answer a question. I don't want to hear any interjections. The Hon. Ms Lensink.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: The Prime Minister, for the record, happened to be the guy who wrote the water act, as the former minister for the environment. He has a bit of an understanding of this plan and how it works. He has guaranteed it. I am not quite sure how high you want to go, other than God, perhaps.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Allow the Hon. Ms Lensink to finish her answer.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: The state Leader of the Opposition, the state leader of the Liberal Party, the member for Dunstan, met with the top guy, who repeated the commitment, who is my boss. The boss of the state Liberal Party and the boss of the Australian government met together to talk about the 3,200—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Steven Marshall. You know how this works? I am a little bit surprised, Mr President, that I am having to explain the divisions of state—

The PRESIDENT: Will you allow the Hon. Ms Lensink to answer the question and don't throw other questions in for her to answer.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Perhaps a bit of civics education. You missed that one, perhaps. The Leader of the Government—slightly embarrassing—you missed a bit of civics education, did you?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Perhaps if I could just finish by saying that I did actually speak to Barnaby Joyce. I spoke to him on the weekend, following the incident, and expressed to him the concerns of South Australians, and we had a very civilised conversation. I will not have the members opposite, who have had a free rein in question time, when government members have been on their feet, to say whatever they liked about the position of the Liberal Party in this place. We have stood up to them. We have stood up to them on a number of occasions. I can even talk about other incidents: the Hon. Gail Gago, who is not here, but she has also made allegations about us not standing up for our members who have made sexist remarks. Well I have, in ways that she never has, when Bill Heffernan made inappropriate remarks.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! You have all had your fun. Have you answered the question?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I am more than happy to answer any of these questions.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: There are some good brochures in Centre Hall, Mr Maher, that you could avail yourself of, about the processes of how parliaments operate and so forth and divisions between state and federal and all those sorts of things. You might find that beneficial, firstly, before you ask questions and before you interject, which is out of order.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The honourable Minister for Police.