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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-05-29 Daily Xml
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South-East Water Allocations

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:01): Supplementary question to the Minister for Environment and Water: can he confirm in his exploration of alternative science that he will be using qualified hydrologists and qualified environmental scientists and who they are?

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (15:01): I have not begun a process of procuring independent scientific advice yet. I am sure that will include hydrology experts. That is an important part of the process, but the key is to have independent advice that the community can have confidence in. It is so important to get business confidence and certainty in government so that they feel that government has their back.

There is nothing worse than business and the private sector thinking they have to fight against the government. I have met with a number of farmers and wine producers in the South-East who have had to go out and procure scientific advice to fight the government. Rather than partnering with the government to grow our economy, we have a situation where people are in the ERD Court fighting against scientific advice that they do not have confidence in.

As the minister, I have to step back and I have to partner with our business community and say, 'How can we give you certainty so that you know that these water allocation cuts, if they do go ahead, are being done for legitimate scientific reasons and, if we don't go ahead, again, that will be backed up by science?' But the science I had been presented with to date had too much uncertainty around it. There are plenty of different scientific opinions out there: that is the nature of science.

I want to create a situation for the businesses, particularly in the South-East, which are such a key part of our economic recovery, that we have planned for this state. I know that the member for MacKillop and the member for Mount Gambier will back this decision. I look forward to working with them and their communities while we work towards having science that we can have confidence in around these water allocation plan reductions.

While the fire alert signal was sounding:

Mr MALINAUSKAS: Mr Speaker, obviously we are dealing with unusual circumstances. Question time is an important opportunity for both the government and the opposition, so I move:

That the sitting of the house be suspended until the ringing of the bells.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER Order! It has been moved that the house be suspended until the ringing of the bells. Do I have a seconder for the motion? There is a seconder, so I will put the motion at once.

Motion negatived.

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