Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-03-18 Daily Xml

Contents

Murray-Darling Basin Regional Economic Diversification Program

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:34): Supplementary question: will the minister table the advice in this chamber that says that the parameters for the program need to be changed?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:34): I have to say again that if we had the assistance that we need from this federal government and our South Australian ministers, we wouldn't have to come to the situation where they tell us, 'I want this to be a surprise for you.' I do not want to have a minister come to us and say, 'I have cleared away the problem; I have fixed it' without actually addressing the issues that apply to South Australian irrigators. They might have cleared away the problem for New South Wales irrigators, but they certainly have no interest in standing up for the interests of South Australian irrigators.