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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-04-30 Daily Xml
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Murray-Darling Basin Plan

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:00): My question is to the Minister for Environment and Water. Does the minister continue to maintain that 62 gigalitres of environmental water, due by 30 June this year, is coming to South Australia?

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (15:00): It's very interesting to have any reflections on the delivery of water from the South Australian Labor Party—

Mr Brown: Answer the question.

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford can leave for 20 minutes under 137A.

The honourable member for Playford having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —because, of course, we know how much water was delivered to South Australia—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —from interstate when they were in government. Zero. One gigalitre was delivered from South Australia. So the games continue, and we have seen it all through this question time. Of course, managing the River Murray is incredibly complex. It requires a whole range of relationships to be established to deliver for South Australia, and that's what we did on 14 December 2018. We know that the Leader of the Opposition learnt a new word when the royal commission report was released: capitulation.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: The most capitulation that has occurred in recent history is the capitulation of Jay Weatherill—

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Education is warned.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —when he agreed to reduce the amount of water under the—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Minister, there's a point of order. One moment. Please be seated. The member for West Torrens, who was interjecting during the minister's answer; I'm not 100 per cent about that, but I'm pretty sure.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: No, sir, I think you look at me in jest. The minister is now debating the question.

The SPEAKER: I have the point of order. There was some interjecting coming from my left. I ask members on my left to be in silence and, minister, I ask you to keep to the substance of the question. I believe the question was about 62 gigalitres. You are speaking about water, I appreciate that, but please come back to the substance of the question. Thank you.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: We do know what's coming because we know that water is coming, which was not the case—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.K. Knoll: Water is coming.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Water is coming. It's very relevant—I didn't even mean that. Water is coming and winter is as well. It is coming because of this government's ability to sit down and negotiate with other jurisdictions.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: The games continue from the other side. All they are interested in is a media release or a slogan or a logo around the River Murray. We are interested—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —in real water passing across the border, moving to the Lower Lakes and the Coorong.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order: the minister is now imputing improper motives on the deputy leader and I ask him to return to the substance—

The SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order. I think the minister has finished his answer.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

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