Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (15:01): My questions are to the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, representing the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development:

1. Can the minister advise the current progress on the construction of the Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme?

2. What is the estimated completion date of this project, and is the project on schedule and on budget?

3. Has a final cost for irrigation water been determined and, if so, what is it?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (15:02): I thank the member for his ongoing interest in this particular issue; it is one that I have been interested in for quite some time. In fact, when I sat probably where the Hon. Mr Hanson sits, and the Hon. Caroline Schaefer was sitting where the Hon. Emily Bourke sits, we were talking then, 16 years ago, about the Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme, and we had 16 years of talk. All we ever had was talk.

I think it is fabulous that, finally, we have some activity happening out there. It was towards the end of the 16-year period of just plain talk—all the jobs and all the investment that would come from it—after 15¾ years of talk we finally got a little bit of action when the federal government put some money on the table. I think that the Hon. Mr Hunter may have been the minister involved in the announcement.

At least now we have a project, and let's hope that the talk stops and the action continues to take place and that we will deliver the Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme. All the details the honourable member has asked for I will be delighted to take on notice and refer them to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development to get those details. It is an important project, and if the talk is delivered it will be a wonderful economic benefit to South Australia.