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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-10-28 Daily Xml
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Question Time

Water Industry Act

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:33): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Water and the River Murray a question about the Water Industry Act.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: On 27 July 2011 his predecessor, the Hon. Paul Caica, on introducing the bill stated the following in the other place:

Independent economic regulation provides a transparent means of setting service standards and prices. Ultimately this is about protecting the long-term interests of customers and encouraging efficient investment in infrastructure.

On the passage of the bill on 5 April 2012, the Hon. Paul Caica said the following in a press release:

This legislation provides an independent umpire, giving the Essential Services Commission of South Australia the power to regulate pricing and standards for water and sewerage services…The legislation also allows for the development of a third party access regime which will facilitate competition in the industry.

My questions for the minister are:

1. Does the minister stand by these remarks?

2. What policies has this government implemented in the last 2½ years to give reality to South Australia's water consumers of that act?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:35): It is this government, and it has only been this government in this state, that has actually been consistent on its policies that deal with water. It is this government that has been dealing with the issues of the River Murray. It is this government that has been dealing with the legacy issues in terms of water supply for the people of South Australia, it is this government that introduced the regulation of SA Water by ESCOSA, and it is this government that is driving third-party access to our water industries with our draft legislation.

It is only this government, because at every turn the opposition has in the past—and I fully expect into the future—tried to frustrate this process. It has absolutely no commitment to the people of South Australia in terms of best outcomes and water policy. During the great millennium drought, what did they do when this government wanted to introduce a desalination plant that would actually produce water for the future? They criticised; they criticised us, not because they did not want a desalination plant. They certainly wanted one; they wanted half a one, just like they wanted half a road to the south, just like they have half a solution to everything.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the floor.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: We see in other states, where they did build a half-size desalination plant like the Liberals wanted, that they are now building a second one. This lot opposite has no plans for the future. They took no plans on water to the state election. They took nobody in the state into their confidence in terms of what they wanted to do with water, and we all know what their secret plans were. We all know what their secret plans were, because their federal Liberal counterparts in Canberra have told us.

The federal minister for finance, Matthias Cormann, and Mr Joe Hockey, the Treasurer, come to South Australia and tell us, 'We want you to sell SA Water assets, because that is what we planned to do when we planned for the South Australian Liberal Party to win the last state election. We are going to have a deal with them to give money to them, just like we are offering around the country, if you sell off our assets.' That is something this government will not do.

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