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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-03-13 Daily Xml
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MURRAY-DARLING BASIN

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (14:59): My question is to the Premier. Will the Premier explain why neither he nor the Minister for the River Murray attended the Murray-Darling Basin Authority's consultation meeting in Renmark last week or the meeting in Murray Bridge in December?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:59): First thing, I am not entirely sure I was invited, but the second thing is that—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Well, I was quite surprised I wasn't invited, actually, but I will check that, I don't think either of us were. But, in any event that would not have mattered. If I thought it was appropriate to attend, I would have gone there. It was, in fact, the Murray-Darling Authority that was conducting its consultations in relation to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, and I will remind the member that one of the first things that I did when assuming this position was to—

Mr Marshall: Call a press conference.

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Norwood, you will leave the chamber for the rest of question time. I have been very patient with you. Premier.

The honourable member for Norwood having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I remind the member for Chaffey that one of the first things that I did was to travel to the Riverland and listen very carefully, and I stood alongside the member for Chaffey when I put very clearly the South Australian position, that is, that we would not compromise the health of the river based on independent science, and he was there cheering me along. Now, since that time, he has been reeled in a bit, but can I say—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —the downstream interests of—I have spent an enormous amount of time together with the Minister for Water, travelling up and down the river, listening to the views of those who are affected by the river and they have consistently said to us that they want a strong voice in relation to the river, and what we get from those opposite, in particular the deputy leader, is that we should settle for second best. Well, that is not the policy of this government.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Mr Mazda over there. While they are driving Rolls Royces upstream, he wants us to settle for a Mazda.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

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