Ministerial Statement

Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:19): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

Tonight I will be travelling to Brisbane to attend tomorrow's 12^th meeting of the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council. These meetings bring together ministers from the commonwealth and basin states; together, we are charged with ensuring the health of the Murray-Darling Basin. South Australia has a proud tradition of fighting for the health of our river. Through the Fight for the Murray campaign, Premier Weatherill brought together industry and community to fight for a better deal for the region—

The Hon. R.L. Brokenshire interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: —and he took that fight up to the federal Labor government and the Eastern States. As a result, South Australia secured a plan which will secure the health of the river system. Using the best available science, we set out to achieve a return of 3,200 gigalitres of water per year to the river. The final plan sets out a target for the return of 2,750 gigalitres of water per year with an adjustment mechanism to increase this by an additional 450 gigalitres. Central to South Australia signing up to the plan was the agreement, secured by legislation, to return an additional 450 gigalitres of water, backed by a $1.77 billion fund.

Achieving the necessary environmental improvements and the sustainability of the basin is dependent on the return of 3,200 gigalitres of water. This is what South Australia fought for and what we require to be delivered. We also know that, even if we achieve a return of 3,200 gigalitres of water, scientific modelling shows that there is a risk of the Murray Mouth closing in five out of 100 years. The condition of the Murray Mouth will be foremost on my agenda for the ministerial council meeting.

Ensuring the health of the Murray Mouth is essential to a healthy whole-of-basin river system. Mouth closure would likely result in ecological harm to the internationally important Coorong wetlands and prevent the important connection between the river and the sea. Conditions at the Murray Mouth have deteriorated significantly within the last few months. The deterioration has escalated since the start of 2014 and more rapidly in the last three months due to the relatively low River Murray flows, severe storm conditions and a decrease in rainfall. This means that we all have to be vigilant about the health of the Murray Mouth.

The commonwealth government's commitment to the target of 3,200 gigalitres, including the additional 450 gigalitres, is essential in reducing the risk of closure of the Murray Mouth. Tomorrow, I will be demanding from the commonwealth and from the other basin states a renewed effort to return the additional 450 gigalitres of water back to the River Murray as a priority, recognising its importance in the whole river system. I will also be highlighting the importance of planning and funding for potential dredging of the Murray Mouth.

Prior to the millennium drought, extensive investigations and modelling were carried out and concluded that dredging was the most technically feasible, environmentally acceptable and cost-effective management option to maintain an open Murray Mouth compared with a range of structural or other methods. The South Australian government is committed to ensuring the health of the Murray Mouth and the basin as a whole, and we will continue to work with the commonwealth and other basin states to ensure the success of the basin plan.