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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-06-07 Daily Xml
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Save the River Murray Levy

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:39): My questions are to the Minister for Water and the River Murray. Firstly, when will the minister table the final Save the River Murray levy annual report, which is for 2014-15? Secondly, given that we are three weeks from the end of this financial year, why has it taken so long to table the annual report for the last financial year?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:40): I thank the honourable member for reminding the chamber that it was this government that removed the Save the River Murray levy from householders. It was this government that saved householders $40—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: —and businesses $180. It is useful to understand that this forms part of the government's focus on easing the cost of living for South Australian families. In 2013-14, as I said earlier in my ministerial statement, SA Water prices were reduced by about 6.6 per cent, I think it was—so $44 on average for an average bill. This current determination handed down by ESCOSA this week and adapted by SA Water in terms of a pricing structure shows that it will be further decreasing average water bills by $87. That is about a $131 reduction. Add the Save the River Murray levy coming off and there is another $40 on top of that.

That is a direct saving to households. That is a direct action of this government to save householders and people in South Australia in terms of cost-of-living pressures. We make no apology for removing that levy. It did the work it was required to do at the time and, when the time came, we removed it because that is the focus of this government. In terms of tabling the annual report, I will bring that back when I have that across my desk.

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