PRIME MINISTER:
Well Premier, my ministerial colleagues, Rob Kerin the Leader of the South Australian Opposition. The Premier and I are having this joint news conference to announce the funding of three major water projects in South Australia. The projects include new measures to ensure more sustainable water use in the Mount Lofty Ranges. Secondly, extending the first and still the largest water reclaimed water scheme, that's the Virginia Pipeline. And thirdly, the development of a major stormwater recycling project in metropolitan Adelaide.
These projects were foreshadowed a year ago during the course of the last federal election campaign. The three South Australian projects represent investments of $61.87 million, of which $18 million is coming from the Australian Government's $2 billion water fund. I want to say that the Australian Water Commission which administers the allocations from the water fund is an excellent example of cooperation between the Commonwealth and the States in this very important area. And I'm delighted to share the platform with the Premier. We need to work together, and I'm pleased to say that by and large the process of allocating money out of the water fund has been free of political disputation. This is but the latest in a series of announcements that I've been associated with - some already in South Australia, a number in Queensland and a number also will be announced over the weeks and months ahead in other parts of Australia.
South Australian's present at this gathering which includes just about all of you will know very well the importance of each of these three programmes and of course the overall importance of water supply to the people of Adelaide. And I take this opportunity of re-affirming my very strong commitment, and this commitment of the Federal Government to the Living Murray initiatives - strong financial commitment and I'll take the opportunity whilst I'm here in Adelaide of speaking with the Premier about ways in which we can further accelerate those processes because there is a time imperative and the people of Adelaide and the people of South Australia are entitled to full value out of the commitments that have been made by the Federal Government and generously also by the various State Governments and I know how very important that initiative is and this morning will be an opportunity for both of us to talk about progress in relation to that initiative which is so important to the people of South Australia.
Water represents the greatest single conservation challenge of our age and no state is more aware of it, no city in Australia is more aware of it than the state of South Australia and people of Adelaide, and these three projects and details of them are being made available to the media and there's an explanation in relation to each of them and I won't go through further detail. But I do welcome this opportunity. I thank the South Australian Government for its cooperation - I know that this is something that enjoys very strong bipartisan support here in South Australia and this is a very good example of Commonwealth-State cooperation which the Australia people so earnestly desire in so many areas. Premier.
PREMIER RANN:
Well thank you very Prime Minister. We're delighted with these announcements today and we're delighted to make a substantial contribution to them. As the Prime Minister mentioned just over a year ago there was a special COAG meeting that largely focussed on the rescue plan for the River Murray, and also of course the National Water Initiative. South Australia enthusiastically supported the National Water Initiative and at the same time made a strong commitment to the rescue of the River Murray - which was a $500 million plan that was agreed at that meeting. I should say that we wanted to demonstrate our bona fides as a State by contributing some $233 million River Murray initiatives of our own. And so today we take the next step, though one of these very important initiatives is about the Mount Lofty Ranges, the Adelaide Hills. Eighty per cent of our population depends on the Adelaide Hills as a water supply. Sixty per cent of South Australia's water usage actually comes from that catchment area. It was deemed several years ago to be stressed. So we're very pleased that this first announcement of National Water Initiative projects focuses first up on the Adelaide Hills. It's about ensuring, protecting the water sources there, protecting the water quality and ensuring that quality endures for the future. We as a state are contributing $32.5 million to the Mt Lofty project alone.
In addition to that of course there's the extension of the Virginia pipeline; that's been a scheme that's had enormous benefits for horticulture in our state and this is about effectively doubling its capacity, so it's an 18 kilometre extension, we think this is very important to underpin horticulture and exports in South Australia. And of course finally the metropolitan Adelaide major irrigator stormwater re-use project. What we want to do as part of our water- proofing Adelaide, as we've done in Salisbury, is to actually re-engineer the city to make much better use of our storm water, about replenishing the aquifer rather than just taking from it.
So we're delighted that these three major irrigation sites in our western suburbs - the Grange, Royal Adelaide, and Glenelg golf clubs. So you know three different projects, an excellent example of cooperation between State and Federal Governments.
Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER:
A couple of questions?
JOURNALIST:
What do you think of the new airport?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think the new airport is fantastic and I congratulate the corporation and it will be a wonderful gateway for South Australia. It's something that South Australia has needed and deserved. I'm a great believer that people who want to travel out of Australia and who want to visit Australia should be able to do so easily from as many points of entry and exit as possible. The old dispensation was always a very unhappy one where people had to travel from Adelaide to Sydney or to Melbourne. I think this is terrific to have this terminal and I congratulate the corporation and it will do great things for South Australia. The face of South Australia as part of our nation is becoming so much better known, it always was well known, but the extraordinary contribution that a couple of speculator industries that are flourishing in this state and are on good display in the terminal - the wine industry I'm thinking of for one - has really driven home the enormous contribution this State is making to the nation's export performance and I'm delighted to be here and I congratulate the corporation, I congratulate the workforce on its contribution to this wonderful terminal.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister are you concerned about the pace of the Murray inquiry into the rescue according to the...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I certainly won't be raising it in any way that's critical of him. I mean I have to say that in all of the discussions I've had with him and the Leader of the Opposition in South Australia, they are the keenest advocates you can find in Australia of the Living Murray, they are really very keen to get it done. I think it's fair to say that I'd like there to be a bit more urgency being injected into it and I think the Premier would share my view and I'll take the opportunity while I'm here to raise that. There's no lack of financial commitment, but we want to make sure the water targets, the water reclamation targets are achieved.
JOURNALIST:
Premier your thoughts on the new airport?
PREMIER RANN:
Well on the airport first up can I just say that I guess for decades we've always been incredibly proud of Adelaide and proud of our state but a little bit embarrassed by our airport. Well I guess the difference is you can see around you, I mean an airport is the first impression that's given to a tourist, it's our welcoming doormat for people coming to our state. So this gives the best impression, it gives the best welcome. It's also of course an area of three times the size of Adelaide Oval, it can handle 27 aircraft simultaneously, it can handle 3,000 passengers an hour. So I just think that this is the first class airport, a world class airport that a great city like Adelaide deserves.
JOURNALIST:
Will Bill Farmer, the former Head of Immigration, will he be investigated for any role he may have played in the deportation of Vivian Solon?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't have anything to add to what was said yesterday by Senator Vanstone, and she covered all of that. Could I just make one further comment about this magnificent terminal - magnificent though it is, it's not quite as good as Adelaide Oval, Premier.
JOURNALIST:
Have you lost your faith in Amanda Vanstone?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, I haven't lost any faith in her. I think she is a gutsy, able Minister who has my full confidence.
Thank you.
[ends]