Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The fact that we have extraordinary flooding in one season does not obviate the need to implement the plan. It does not work. I would make the point that in nine years those opposite, who were committed to delivering 450 gigalitres with their implementation—or non-implementation—of the plan delivered two out of 450. That is the reality of what we are dealing with.

Senator Davey, this is Senator Van's question. I am happy to take a question again from you on water. But my point is that if 450 gigalitres were supposed to be delivered and two were delivered then obviously we have to look at it in different ways. We have outlined how we will approach that. The minister has said we need more time to deliver the water based on the expert advice. We need more options to deliver the remaining water, including water efficiency infrastructure projects and voluntary water buybacks—voluntary water purchase. We want more funding to support communities where those buybacks have impacts. (Time expired)