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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-12-02 Daily Xml
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MURRAY RIVER, LOWER LAKES

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:02): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Urban Development and Planning questions about the Lower Lakes.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: In The Advertiser this morning on the front page under the headline 'Flooding of Lower Lakes just a phone call away' Cara Jenkin reports that the parched Lower Lakes have taken a significant step towards ecological disaster when the state government yesterday asked for advance approval to flood them with sea water.

The report goes on to state that the Murray-Darling Basin Commission has identified two triggers being (1) if water levels fall to 1.5 metres below sea level in Lake Alexandrina or (2) 0.5 metres below sea level in Lake Albert. The latest data issued Wednesday 26 November 2008 by the commission states that the water level in Lake Alexandrina is -0.45 metres AHD (or 1.2 metres below FSL) compared with a level of +0.07 metres AHD at this time last year.

The latest information I have on Lake Albert is from the government's River Murray Water Resources Report which states that the water level in Lake Albert at Meningie is currently measured at -0.34 metres AHD compared to about +0.06 metres AHD at the same time last year. It appears that we are perilously close to the trigger point at the moment. Furthermore, on this issue, the Premier said on FIVEaa breakfast radio this morning:

We are only going to flood the Lakes, which are totally saline anyway, if it goes past the tipping point where it is going to turn to acid because that is a 50-year disaster. Already the Lower Lakes are saline.

My questions are:

1. Is the minister aware, from his attendance at cabinet or otherwise, of any statements of concern or decisions made to take action about evaporation of water in the Lower Lakes?

2. Has the minister been advised or is he aware of any discussion between his government and the federal government regarding putting salt water into the Lower Lakes?

3. Will the minister ask his government as a matter of urgency to have a public meeting in Goolwa to tell the community, who are in a desperate situation socially, economically and environmentally, what the true plans are for the Lower Lakes between the state and federal governments?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (15:04): In relation to the first question, the honourable member would well know that I will not discuss cabinet discussions because, as a former cabinet minister himself, he would be well aware of the rules in relation to that. It has been my understanding that there have been discussions with the Murray-Darling Basin Commission, which has jurisdiction over the main stream of the River Murray below the Menindee Lakes and the various storages. So, of course, at that sort of level there has been discussion about this.

In relation to the final part of the question, I can only echo the comments made by the Premier and the Minister for Water Security that the last thing this government wants to see happen is some permanent change to the lakes which would come about because of the levy. However, it is obviously an action of last resort that we have to be ready for in case all other action fails. That is why, as I understand it, the minister has initiated the action that she has, so that should a decision be necessary the appropriate actions would be under way.

None of us wants to see the Lower Lakes deteriorate further, but the way in which the best outcome can occur is if there is above average rainfall in the right parts of the basin over the coming 12 months. That is what all of us would like to see happen, but it is appropriate that the government should take appropriate contingency planning. Even though one hopes that one may never have to use the contingency, obviously any prudent government would take that course of action should the worse come to the worst.

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