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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-07-26 Daily Xml
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SA WATER

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:54): My question is to the Premier. What lies or improper conduct did the member for Mawson, Leon Bignell, claim SA Water had undertaken, and why did the Premier's chief of staff, Nick Alexandrides, try to suppress the member for Mawson's concerns? Is this another example of open—

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order. That question contains clear comment and argument. Can I repeat it for you? Why did a certain person try to suppress the plan? That is an argument.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The question was out of order. There was an allegation in that question. However, now that the question has been asked, perhaps the minister would like to respond to it.

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (15:55): I am very happy to answer this question. I want to commend the member for Mawson for his diligence on behalf of his electorate.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: You don't think so? Okay.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: As I understand it—and my memory is legendary—there was an issue in the Mawson electorate relating to the Aldinga wastewater plant; indeed, the desire, during the time of the worst drought that we faced in computer modelling in a thousand years, to extend the amount of wastewater that was made available for the wine industry and other agricultural purposes in the Willunga Basin. As a result of considerable action at governmental level the decision was made for an extension of the dam and the building of a very large dam, which the member for Mawson showed me the superstructure of before it was filled. Unfortunately, even though, through the usual processes, a consortium or a company had been chosen to build the aforesaid dam, it was delayed by inclement weather.

Naturally, the member for Mawson, acting on behalf of his constituents—his people—experienced a degree of frustration and wrote to complain about the delays. As I understand it, we now have a situation where the minister—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —for whom I have extraordinary respect, Karlene Maywald, is no longer the minister, the CEO who he complained about is no longer the CEO, and the dam that was not built has been built. So, you could say that the—

The Hon. J.R. Rau: It was a 'dam' good outcome.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Yes, a 'dam' good outcome.

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