HANSARD
SITTING CALENDAR
SEARCH
LIVE BROADCAST
Hansard Dynamic Member Index
House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-05-12 Daily Xml
Contents
Pdf Xml

MURRAY RIVER, LOWER LAKES

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (15:16): My question is to the Minister for the River Murray. What has occurred between January and May to change the minister's understanding of what is 'delusional'? On 18 January, in response to the opposition's calls for the purchase of temporary water for the Lower Lakes, the minister stated:

The state opposition's suggestion that purchasing 30 gigalitres of water will save the Lower Lakes is delusional.

She went on to state:

Adrian Pederick needs to understand the facts...If he thinks 30 gigalitres will save the lakes, he is delusional. He is making statements that give false hope to people.

Today, federal minister Garrett has announced that he has agreed that temporary flow regulators can be constructed in the Goolwa Channel and the mouths of the Currency Creek and Finniss River without further environmental assessment. He stated:

The South Australian government will be required to provide an additional 50 gigalitres of freshwater into the Lower Lakes.

Who is delusional?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.A. MAYWALD (Chaffey—Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water Security) (15:17): I think the member just answered his own question: 30 gigalitres is not going to save the Lower Lakes, and neither is 50 gigalitres.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.A. MAYWALD: Fifty gigalitres is not going to save the Lower Lakes. It needs hundreds and hundreds of gigalitres to save the Lower Lakes.

Mr Goldsworthy interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the member for Kavel!

The Hon. K.A. MAYWALD: What we are doing—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Sorry to interrupt the minister. The member for Hammond has asked his question; the minister should be given an opportunity to respond without having to contend with a barrage of interjections.

The Hon. K.A. MAYWALD: The answer I gave back in January still stands: the member for Hammond is delusional if he thinks 30 gigalitres is going to save the Lower Lakes.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS
MEMBERS
GET INVOLVED
ABOUT PARLIAMENT
VISIT
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
CONTACT