Water and Environment Department

102 The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) ().7 September 20227 September 2022). Can the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water advise—

1. Will the minister be adopting recommendation 3 of the Department for Environment and Water's 2021 Review of the Water Industry Act 2012 report, that calls for a review of SA Water's pricing structures?

2. When will the review commence?

3. When is the review due to be completed?

4. Will the review outcomes be made public?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector): The Minister for Climate, Environment and Water has advised:

I am not aware of a review of the Water Industry Act 2012 undertaken by the Department for Environment and Water in 2021.

A review was conducted by the department which commenced in 2019 and was published in September 2020 under the previous Liberal government.

Recommendation 3 of that review is wideranging covering a broad range of elements relating to water prices. The government is progressing the elements of these recommendations in a number of ways.

The SA Water regulatory determination process currently underway (RD24) is the primary mechanism to address water pricing for SA Water. The government is working with SA Water and the economic regulator (the Essential Services Commission of South Australia) to ensure fit for purpose investments are made by SA Water to ensure affordable water security for customers.