Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (12:11): I, too, rise to make a contribution on the most recent budget handed down. As a regional MP and as a representative in this chamber, I stand here quite disappointed. There were a few small nuggets of hope, but from what I have seen in this place for a number of years now, and as one who has been here longer than most, it was a budget handed down by a Labor government that was quite typical of what Labor do.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (12:50): I rise to support a very good amended motion by the member for Schubert—because on this side we are not about spin. We are about acknowledging the great work that our paramedics do, our frontline workers, our frontline paramedics who come in all shapes and sizes; whether it be an ambulance officer, whether it be a medical facility staff member or whether it be a volunteer it is a critically important space in any community. Whether in a metropolitan community or a regional community, I have witnessed over many years the valuable contribution that all paramedics make.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:25): I rise to give an industry outlook, particularly in the Riverland, with the wine industry in the doldrums that it is currently in. Sadly, I speak on the perilous condition of the wine industry at the moment, and a lot of it is derived from the red wine sector and, yes, it has been the loss of the Chinese wine market that the wine industry had been geared up for. The majority of wine grapes in South Australia are red wine grapes and a lot of that red industry has been geared up for the China market.

The Opposition has moved to establish a Parliamentary Select Committee into the 2022-23 River Murray floods, after the Malinauskas Labor Government ruled out conducting a crucial independent inquiry into the disaster.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:20): I rise with the pending state budget coming up tomorrow. I hope my fears will be alleviated when the budget is handed down because my fear is that the Minister for Trade and Investment may be Champion by name but he is no champion for trade and investment here in South Australia and neither is his government.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (17:02): I, too, rise to make a contribution to the amended motion, and I think it is important that we do have that contribution to put government priorities into perspective. For a long time, I have been a very strong advocate for reducing the use of single-use plastics in particular. South Australia has a long history of reform in single-use plastic, and I think it all started way back with the container deposit, which really set a platform for South Australia to be the leaders nationally in reform.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (14:54): A further question to the minister: why has the state government surrendered 126 megalitres of water at a cost of $23,000 per megalitre on behalf of the Marion council project when the food producers are being offered market price at $8,200 a megalitre?

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (14:49): My question is again to the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water. Has the Deputy Premier received advice from her department in relation to water efficiency projects and, if so, what is it? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (14:40): My question is to the Deputy Premier and Minister for Climate, Environment and Water. Does the Deputy Premier stand by her comments regarding water efficiency targets? With your leave, and that of the house, I will explain, sir.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:01): Today, I rise to show some serious concern for the river communities here in South Australia, not by the floods but by the inaction of the Minister for Water, the Minister for Climate and the River Murray. Today, we have heard that one minute we are favouring buybacks and the next minute we are favouring infrastructure, and the mixed messages are having a really detrimental effect on those river communities. They are having a detrimental effect on the irrigation communities because they do not know whether they are coming or going.