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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-11-23 Daily Xml
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WATER FOR GOOD

Mr KENYON (Newland) (14:37): My question is for the Minister for Water. What has been the progress of the government's Water for Good plan since its release in June 2009?

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water) (14:37): I thank the honourable member for his question—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —and hope that they listen to it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: As the house is aware, Water for Good was launched in June 2009 as a plan to ensure South Australia's water security to 2050. One of the actions in Water for Good was for a statement to be made on the progress of the plan and on progress in ensuring the water security of Greater Adelaide. Today I am pleased to release the first Water for Good annual statement in accordance with that commitment.

The Commissioner for Water Security has monitored the progress of the plan over the past 18 months and has reported to the Water Security Council on a quarterly basis. The annual statement shows that, because of significant efforts by the community, industry and government, South Australia is on track to achieve the plan's goals and targets.

The annual statement includes a progress report card, which uses the rating system used for South Australia's Strategic Plan to assess the progress of the 94 Water for Good actions. Of the 94 actions, six have been achieved, 66 are on track, 18 are within reach, two are unlikely, and one has not reached the action time frame. One action–

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Norwood, you are getting close to the bone. You will be out in a minute.

The Hon. P. CAICA: He needs a girlfriend, Madam Speaker. One action, relating to the temporary weir at Pomanda Island, was assessed as not applicable. This has been ruled out for the term of this government and, we hope, beyond.

Key progress under the plan includes the construction of the $1.83 billion Adelaide desalination plant, which is due to start producing water from April 2011. There has also been strong investment in stormwater projects that will see stormwater harvesting targets of 20 gigalitres a year by 2013 exceeded in Greater Adelaide. Furthermore, there has been progress on key wastewater projects such as the $76.25 million Glenelg to Adelaide Park Lands Recycled Water Project, which was completed ahead of schedule.

A number of measures have also been implemented to educate the community and encourage wise water use—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: —such as the WaterWise Communities initiative. Measures have also been undertaken to improve the monitoring and management of water resources. In addition to this, critical emergency measures were undertaken to mitigate the impacts of low inflows to the Lower Lakes and Coorong.

The government also invested in cutting-edge water research and innovation through the new $50 million Goyder Institute for Water Research. Further, the tabling of the Water Industry Bill today responds to Action 83 in the plan.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: It's an exposure draft, and I am happy for you to be exposed to it to feed back into it.

This bill proposes the appointment of ESCOSA to license and regulate prices for the water industry, and that allows for the improvement of customer and industry dispute resolution through the ombudsman scheme.

While work on most actions in the plan is on schedule, it is the case that some of the targets outlined in the plan are, as you would expect, challenging. Action 68, relating to the introduction of targets for water-sensitive urban design by 2010, was not reached within the action time frame. Notwithstanding this, research is now being undertaken by the Goyder Institute to help the government develop these targets and identify the best way to achieve them.

The two actions rated as unlikely to be reached within the action time frames are Actions 51 and 58. Action 51 provides for the review of current management and protection of the Mount Lofty Ranges watershed with a view to developing targets and responsibilities for its future management by the end of 2010. This action will be progressed in conjunction with other actions in Water for Good that relate to the Mount Lofty Ranges watershed. I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition is acutely interested in this, because it is covering her electorate.

Action 58 provides for the completion of water allocation plans and a regulatory review of water allocation plans for key areas in the Mount Lofty Ranges, the Murray-Darling Basin, the South-East and Central Adelaide by 2010. The original end date in the plan was highly ambitious and, given the complexities involved, has been revised to 2014. Progress is underway to reform the water allocation planning process to make it more efficient.

Whilst we have come a long way in terms of implementing the plan, we still have much more to do to ensure our water future. The key actions identified in Water for Good, which is a 40-year plan, will ensure that our state has a secure and reliable supply of water to support the growth of our population and economy into the future while preserving our quality of life and the environment. I urge the opposition to get behind these initiatives because they are vitally important—in fact, critical—to the future, welfare and wellbeing of our state and its people.

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