HANSARD
SITTING CALENDAR
SEARCH
LIVE BROADCAST
Hansard Dynamic Subject Index
House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-02-12 Daily Xml
Contents
Pdf Xml

Water Recovery Socio-economic Criteria

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:46): My question is to the Minister for Environment. On whose advice did the minister agree to changes in the socio-economic criteria for water irrigation efficiency in December last year?

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (14:47): Mr Speaker, could I ask the deputy leader to repeat the first part of the question?

The SPEAKER: Repeat the entire question, please.

Dr CLOSE: On whose advice did the minister agree to changes in the socio-economic criteria of water efficiency in December last year?

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: I thank the deputy leader for her question. I received considerable advice from many different parties in the lead-up to the—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Mr Speaker, as I was saying, I received multiple sources of advice. That advice came from my departmental officials, that advice came from food producers across our state, that advice came from academics, that advice came from former—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —ministers for water for this state, some of whom may have sat under a Labor cabinet. I draw on many sources of advice. When I went to the June ministerial council, an agreement was made that we would look at the socio-economic criteria. This was not a surprise to anyone. The Labor opposition didn't notice it, of course. They didn't notice it when it was announced on 14 December 2018 at the second ministerial council. This was a bolt from the blue for them. No questions, nothing. Just silence. Welcome to the environment, deputy leader.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Welcome to the environment.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: The fact of the matter is that I have received and relied on multiple sources of advice, but that advice gave me two pathways. I could follow a pathway towards water, looking for a consensus and negotiating with the other jurisdictions, or I could follow what the Labor Party had done for 16 years: fake fights from the sidelines.

Stand up for South Australia,' they said. If standing up for South Australia was successful, 450 gigalitres of water pledged, how much slowed one-quarter of 1 per cent? Just one gigalitre, and where did that gigalitre come from? Did it come from New South Wales? Did it come from Victoria, the ACT, Queensland? It came from here. They offered up one gigalitre of water. I had advice, and I had good advice, and I chose to negotiate for South Australia. Now—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members are my left!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Listen to the noise, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: I am.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: The noise—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: It's just examples of—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: You're a traitor!

The SPEAKER: Member for West Torrens, I ask him to withdraw the comment, 'You are a traitor.'

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Sir, I withdraw the comment, 'You are a traitor.'

The SPEAKER: Thank you.

Mr Picton: You're a disgrace!

The SPEAKER: Member for Kaurna, you can leave for half an hour under 137A, thank you. Minister, please wrap it up.

The honourable member for Kaurna having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I will wrap up by simply saying this: the noise, the games, the gimmicks, the gestures, the slogans—they delivered one gigalitre.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Practical, pragmatic negotiations will deliver real water. They might cleave to seven sentences in a royal commission but we will deliver a pathway to real water.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I'm not going to tolerate the shouting that is going on. Member for West Torrens, you are now on two warnings. The member for Kaurna, I have dealt with. I also call to order and I warn the member for Wright and the member for Elizabeth. The deputy leader has the call.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS
MEMBERS
GET INVOLVED
ABOUT PARLIAMENT
VISIT
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
CONTACT