Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (11:13): I would like to make a brief contribution to thank the Natural Resources Committee for making the journey up to the Riverland. I am hoping that they gained a lot out of it. The member for Mawson has just given quite a descriptive brief on what they saw and the challenges that the region faced not only through the most recent high-flow event that turned into a flood event but what the day-to-day challenges are: being a food producer, dealing with biosecurity issues and dealing with the vagaries of weather. I think there was a bit of a mixture of all of that in that trip.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:29): I rise to speak about some of the fun and frivolity over the March long weekend up in Chaffey. If the March long weekend is a taste of things to come, Easter has a showstopper about to launch upon us. We all know that the Chaffey electorate is a great place to live and a great place to visit. The March long weekend that has just gone was a great example of how much there is to do and see throughout the Riverland. Also another great show of the resilience of our towns has been to recover and get on with life after the floods. From auto street parties to harvest festivals, there was something for everyone.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (11:47): I rise to put overwhelming support to this motion. It is critically important that we do acknowledge our emergency service personnel, whether they be paid or whether they be volunteers, no matter what colour uniform they wear or what part of the river communities they come from. Everyone rallied, and they rallied exceptionally well.

As recreational restrictions on the River Murray start to ease, the Opposition is calling on Peter Malinauskas to provide clarity and transparency over exactly what informed the snap decision.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (11:26): I rise to give full support to the Bookmark Creek project. It is a $6.1 million component of the $36.7 million Sustaining Riverland Environments. I did present to the committee and I thank the Chair and the committee for allowing me to express my support and also to give a little bit more understanding of what Bookmark Creek has meant not only to the people of Renmark but also the natural environs that surround Renmark.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (14:52): My question is to the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water. Will the minister commit to ongoing supply of essential drinking water to residents living in flood-affected communities? If not, why not? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:27): My question is to the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water. Is the minister aware of the salinity slug entering the River Murray from Lake Bonney that now is threatening crop damage? If so, what measures is she taking to prevent that crop damage? With your leave, and that of the house, sir, I will explain.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:46): It would be pertinent for me to stand up and talk about the recent floods. After today's performance by the Deputy Premier, I think it is an absolute disgrace that she can laugh her way through half of question time, absolving herself from responsibility and from answering questions about what has happened. It is one of the worst natural disasters in the state's history and she walks off smiling. What an absolute disgrace! However, I do want to pay tribute to the Minister for Emergency Services, who made himself available at every opportunity to answer questions about those concerns that MPs in this place had around responding to those high flows and then the flood event. 

The Opposition has renewed calls for Susan Close to apologise to river communities for abandoning them during the peak of the flooding, choosing to disappear on a month-long overseas holiday despite being the minister responsible for the River Murray.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (11:36): I think it is very important that the majority of people in this place stand and acknowledge the great work that volunteers do, whether it is in their electorate, whether it is statewide or internationally. I think they have a very, very important role to play but, in saying that, they make our communities a better place to live. They provide a better environment for the time that they give and the service that they provide to the common person here in South Australia.