Brown Hill Keswick Creek Stormwater Project

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:51): Further supplementary: is the minister saying that it is completely unreasonable for the federal government to have any conditions attached? Does he expect that money comes just because he says so?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:51): The Hon. Michelle Lensink, I think, shows how long she has been in opposition, and not understanding how governments work with each other. We work with each other at an officer level, at a departmental level, at a ministerial office level and at the ministerial level.

Often, the first point of contact—as it has been in many other areas when I have talked to minister Barnaby Joyce and minister Ruston, when they were first appointed, about the Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme—was me sitting down in their office in the commonwealth building in King William Street saying, 'How about this program? Minister Bignell wrote to you about it, and we think it's a great idea. What's your view? Are you likely to want to contribute to it? Give us some signals.'

That is exactly what we do with the federal government with other programs. That's what we have done with Keswick Brown Hill Creek. We said, 'This is an important plan. It's been in place for about 15 years. This is the approximate envelope of contributions we are expecting. How about being part of this? You've got significant commonwealth infrastructure in this flood plain. We think it's important that you invest in preventative measures; why don't you do that?' And they have said no. They said it's not a priority for them.

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink: No, they haven't. They haven't said no. They did not say no.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: They have said no many times. It's not a priority for them. I invite the Hon. Michelle Lensink to go off and ask them. Come over and work with us.

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Why don't you do that, Michelle? Why don't you go off and ask your federal colleagues—

The PRESIDENT: Order! No debate across the chamber. Just continue with your answer.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Why don't you go off and talk to your federal colleagues and say, 'You don't want to talk to minister Hunter; I'll broker this with you.' I'll share the limelight with you, Michelle. Go and help us get the federal government to contribute. Go and help us. Unfortunately, she won't. The state Liberals never stand up for South Australia. They are wholly beholden to the member for Sturt and the orders he sends down the phone every morning to all of them.