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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-11-09 Daily Xml
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WATER TRADING LAWS

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:21): My question is again to the Premier. What was the total cost of the government's High Court challenge against Victoria over water rights, and how much was Melbourne barrister and former Labor appointment as presiding member of SA's Independent Gambling Authority Stephen Howells paid for his work on the challenge?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:21): I thank the honourable member for her question. It might just be worth putting in context the relatively small amounts that we are talking about in relation to legal fees with the size of the issues at stake here. What we are talking about in asserting our rights in relation to the River Murray is probably the principal economic, social and environmental asset that exists in this state. If those opposite are suggesting that we should be doing anything other—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —than accessing the best advice that is available across this nation to pursue our entitlements on behalf of this state, well, you are trying to persuade the wrong person. I might say about the High Court challenge that the 4 per cent cap that was imposed by Victoria in relation to their trading is a very important issue because much of the additional water that is going to be recovered from the river will depend on the capacity for us to have a free trading system in the river. The—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! You have asked the question.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: If you just permit me to answer the question, you will get your answer. That particular case that was run on that very important issue was successful. We were successful in persuading the Victorians to remove the 4 per cent cap on their water trading out of—

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for MacKillop, you are warned.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: It was a successful proceeding, which had the effect of persuading the Victorians to remove that cap on their trading.

Mrs Redmond: What did it cost?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I don't have the precise numbers with me, but I am more than happy to provide them. I don't carry with me the accounts of barristers who have worked for government, as much as that may be a topic of some interest, but we certainly will—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —provide those answers. Can I say that we will continue to engage whoever we think is appropriate to assist us in exploring our rights in relation to this river and the upstream states. We believe that, when we entered into the commonwealth, we entered into the commonwealth as an equal. Having given up our sovereignty to become part of the commonwealth, we are going to insist—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —on pursuing our rights should those rights be transgressed, and if we need the best lawyers we can get hold of and we need to pay for it we will do so.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Ashford.

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