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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-06-19 Daily Xml
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Question Time

Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:16): My question is to the Acting Attorney-General. What representations has the South Australian government made to their federal colleagues about the Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission injunction? When the royal commission was announced in 2017, federal assistant water resources minister and South Australian Senator Anne Ruston said:

The Commonwealth would not stand in its way, and neither [would] NSW or Victoria.

I'd like to think they'd cooperate, certainly the Commonwealth will cooperate, we [have nothing] to hide.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the minister, with such facts introduced I would expect quite a broad response. Minister.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (14:17): I thank the member for the question. As the Leader of the Opposition would be aware, the government has supported the reference of the Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission to investigate the operations and effectiveness of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, including whether the plan is being complied with. Given the interjurisdictional nature of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, the power to compel information and documents from interstate sources, including interstate government sources, is, in the view of the government, important.

A High Court challenge has, as the member is aware, been filed by the commonwealth to the issuing by the commissioner of summonses to current and former commonwealth employees. The government will be awaiting the decision of the High Court before considering the status of the legislation here in South Australia. It wouldn't be appropriate to offer further comment on the legal proceedings underway at this time.

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