Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources. Would the minister inform the House of any new information which highlights the water scarcity issues facing urban areas?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. I well understand that, like all residents of south-east Queensland, he has very great concern about growing water scarcity. The Water Services Association’s latest report reminded us of the grave challenge that urban centres face in terms of water provision. Around Australia, with the sole and honourable exception of Perth, large cities have neglected their water infrastructure for many decades and, as a consequence, with growing population, greater demands on water supply, lower levels of rainfall and, in particular, lower levels of run-off, we have had the inevitable consequence of severe water shortages.

When a small country town runs out of water—and we are all familiar with those that have done so and no doubt are doing so now—often it is possible to truck water in as an emergency measure. But, when a city of millions of people runs out of water, it is nothing short of a catastrophe. And that is the situation that some of our major cities could face. It is certainly the situation that Brisbane could face.

The Leader of the Opposition spoke a moment ago about the title ‘the greatest’. Let me say this: he has made the greatest contribution to south-east Queensland’s water scarcity. He is the drought-bringer. He delivered that. He had an opportunity to deliver—

Lindsay Tanner (Melbourne, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Tanner interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Melbourne is warned!

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition had a choice. He had a choice in 1989: the government of which he was a part had a choice to build a dam which would have droughtproofed south-east Queensland—and they wimped it. They said, ‘No, we won’t build it,’ but then they did nothing else.

One of the other things that the Leader of the Opposition is very good at is asking himself questions. He is always asking himself questions. He goes on the television and instead of waiting for the interviewer to ask him the question he says, ‘I ask myself why I am so clever,’ and then tells us why he is, and he says, ‘And I ask myself why my policies are so persuasive,’ and then he answers that. What about this question for the Leader of the Opposition? Why doesn’t he ask himself this question—because he will not answer it when anyone else asks it: ‘Why did we not build the Wolffdene Dam?’ Why did he and Wayne Goss not build the Wolffdene Dam? Why did they deny the reality that the area of Australia which was the fastest growing in our nation was, so obviously, going to need more water? Why did they deny it the prospect of more water? And why does he have the gall to stand here and pretend that he has the character to be Prime Minister of this country?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Environment and Water Resources, and I refer the minister to his previous answer. Can the minister confirm that the Queensland Liberal Party moved in the Queensland parliament a motion demanding that planning and construction of the Wolffdene Dam not proceed ‘in any way, now or at any time in the future’. Can the minister explain to the House why the Liberal Party opposed the planning and construction of the Wolffdene Dam?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! If the minister chooses to answer the question, he may.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I cannot explain whether that statement is correct—there is no-one here from the Queensland Liberal Party. But let me accept—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, in order to assist the minister I seek leave—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member will resume his seat. That is not a point of order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am seeking leave, Mr Speaker.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member will resume his seat. That is not a point of order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am seeking leave, Mr Speaker.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member will resume his seat or I will deal with him. Does the Manager of Opposition Business wish to raise a point of order?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, Mr Speaker. I am seeking leave.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business may raise a point of order but he may not seek leave. He will resume his seat immediately or I will deal with him.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order, Mr Speaker. Under standing orders does it not say that you can seek leave at any time?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No; that is not a point of order and it does not say it under standing orders.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Albanese interjecting

Pat Farmer (Macarthur, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education, Science and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, with respect to this place, I draw attention to the gestures made by the member opposite towards the Speaker of the House, reflecting on the Chair. I would like you to take into account his hand gestures at the end of that comment.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member will resume his seat. I have ruled on the points raised by the Manager of Opposition Business and I do not intend to revisit them.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying before the honourable member opposite went into a sort of paroxysm of St Vitus dance, leaping up and down, I cannot confirm whether this was the view of the Queensland Liberal Party. Oh, he has got it again!

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that whatever that was be withdrawn.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw the reference to St Vitus dance.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has withdrawn.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I cannot say whether that is an accurate reflection of what the Queensland Liberal Party said.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But we know that the Leader of the Opposition is very devoted to ‘echonomics’.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We know that he is trying to be a Liberal.

Lindsay Tanner (Melbourne, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Tanner interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister will resume his seat. The member for Melbourne continues to interject. He has been warned; he will remove himself under standing order 94(a).

The member for Melbourne then left the chamber.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We know now that the member for Griffith’s defence for not building the Wolffdene Dam is that the parliamentary Liberal Party in Queensland at the time was not in favour of it either. So we have had ‘echonomics’; now we have got ‘echohydrology’—we do not have any ideas of our own. But the fact remains that it is not just a question of not building a dam. Views will differ about a dam, about a recycling plant—they will differ about lots of things.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Holt.

Gavan O'Connor (Corio, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Gavan O’Connor interjecting

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The failure of leadership of the member for Griffith—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister will resume his seat. The member for Corio will remove himself under standing order 94(a).

The member for Corio then left the chamber.

The minister has the call and the minister will be heard.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition’s defence for cancelling the Wolffdene Dam now apparently seems to be that the parliamentary Liberal Party did not want to build it. The people of Australia are entitled to expect leaders to lead and to form their own views. But, more importantly still, the failure of the Leader of the Opposition in cancelling that dam was that he replaced it with nothing else. It is one thing to say you do not agree with a dam or with a recycling plant or something else, but what he did then—

Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Vamvakinou interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister will resume his seat. The member for Calwell has been warned; she continues to interject. She will remove herself under standing order 94(a).

The member for Calwell then left the chamber.

The minister has the call and he will be heard.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The failure of the member for Griffith’s leadership—which underlines the lack of character that he has and his unfitness to be Prime Minister of this country—was that, recognising the great need for a secure water supply that south-east Queensland had, he cancelled one viable option and then replaced it with nothing else. It is for that reason that south-east Queensland is in dire risk of running out of water. The member for Griffith is the architect of south-east Queensland’s drought. His complacency, his inaction, is the reason south-east Queensland is short of water.

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to table the Hansard from the Queensland parliament of 3 October 1989 under the Cooper National Party government.

Leave granted.