Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

I assume from Senator Hanson-Young’s question, where she says—somewhat dismissively, if I may say so, through you, Mr President—‘currently in Minister Garrett’s in-tray’, she is referring to applications under the EPBC Act which South Australia has lodged and which Minister Garrett is considering, I am sure, in accordance with his statutory discretion under the legislation. I am sure Senator Hanson-Young and other members of the Greens would want to ensure that he undertook his consideration of any application—whether it is about the Lower Lakes or otherwise—carefully and prudently, and I have no doubt Minister Garrett will. We are absolutely clear on this side of the chamber about the difficult situation in the Murray-Darling Basin, of which the Coorong and Lower Lakes are a part. The reality is we remain at historically low levels of inflow and storage, particularly in the southern Murray-Darling, and there are environmental pressures across that region, particularly in the southern part of the basin. The federal government and state governments are seeking to manage what is an extremely difficult situation.

For example, it is the case that we have put a substantial amount of funding on the table to assist the South Australian government in determining a long-term solution for the Lower Lakes. The good senator would be aware that we have committed $200 million for the long-term plan for the Lower Lakes. We have committed some $120 million to piping to ensure— (Time expired)