Senator CHAPMAN (2:08 PM) —My question is directed to the Leader of the Government in the Senate and the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Hill. Will the minister inform the Senate as to what steps the Commonwealth is taking to support community efforts to combat salinity and improve water quality? How will the new Commonwealth action plan on salinity and water quality further build on these efforts?

Senator HILL (Minister for the Environment and Heritage) —Today is an important day in relation to better management of Australia's natural resource base because the Prime Minister has announced a national action plan to address the issue of salinity and water quality over 20 of the major catchments in Australia. The Commonwealth will be investing some $700 million in this program over a period of seven years and is putting to the states that they should match that funding. They should, at next month's COAG meeting, match that funding—

Opposition senators interjecting—

The PRESIDENT —Labor senators interjecting know that they are being disorderly.

Senator Schacht —He won't tell us how many years.

The PRESIDENT —Senator Schacht, if you have a question to ask, you can seek to have your name put on the paper. If not, you will keep quiet while Senator Hill is answering.

Senator HILL —In which case an additional $1.4 billion will be spent over the next seven years on these major problems.

Senator Schacht —It is $100 million a year.

The PRESIDENT —Senator Schacht, I have just spoken to you. You know what the standing orders are and you should abide by them. If you wish to debate this matter, there is time after question time and you can do it then.

Senator HILL —I understand the embarrassment of Labor, because they were in office for 13 years and did nothing.

Senator Bolkus —That's rubbish. You have wasted five years.

The PRESIDENT —Order! Persistent interjecting is disorderly and in breach of the standing orders.

Senator Schacht —Why don't you make a ministerial statement?

The PRESIDENT —Senator Schacht, you have been interjecting persistently since this answer started. You can deal with it at the appropriate time.

Senator Schacht —I'm trying to get some information, Madam President.

Senator HILL —I think Senator Schacht could learn from listening to this answer, because it actually benefits South Australia; it actually benefits his constituency. He should be applauding it because there will be an unprecedented investment in issues that are of vital national interest but of specific interest to South Australia. As Senator Schacht should know by now, within 20 years, unless more is done, you will not be able to drink the water in Adelaide two days out of five if you wish it to adhere to world health standards. So something needed to be done. National leadership was called for and the Howard government has responded. What the Howard government has done is identify 20 principal catchments in Australia. Yes, some of those catchments are within the Murray-Darling Basin, which has long been recognised as having a problem in relation to salinity and water quality, but there are other catchments elsewhere as well: elsewhere in Queensland, where there is a growing salinity problem; and elsewhere in Western Australia, where, as Senator Schacht should know, there is a major salinity problem. Through Commonwealth leadership and hopefully the states then picking up their primary responsibility for natural resource management in Australia, there will be a partnership which can deliver better outcomes.

One of the differences between this plan and what has happened in the past is that the investment will be pursuant to integrated catchment management plans. In other words, within each of the catchments there will need to be a plan that addresses the major issues, whether it is biodiversity, water quality or salinity. The plans will set targets, and the states and the Commonwealth will commit to delivery of those targets. The Commonwealth will fund accredited plans. The advantage of that is that it gives a best chance of delivering an enduring benefit. Labor has been coming in here to date and complaining—

Senator Bolkus —You are just picking up Beazley's ideas.

The PRESIDENT —Order! Senator Bolkus and Senator Schacht have both been interjecting persistently. I have drawn your attention to your behaviour already. There is an appropriate time to debate the matter.

Senator HILL —Investment through accredited plans on a catchment basis can not only expand the area to landscape solutions as opposed to local or community based solutions but also, as I was saying, give an enduring benefit. These are the lessons that have come out of the numerous plans and studies that have been done in the past. This is the advice that has come out of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission.

Senator Bolkus —They didn't tell you to cut funding, did they?

The PRESIDENT —Order! Senator Bolkus, you are warned about your behaviour in persistent interjecting.

Senator HILL —This is the advice of people such as Professor Cullen, head of the CRC on freshwater ecology, and the Science Council of the Prime Minister. All of these people have called for a national plan, have said that it is overdue, have said that you need genuine partnerships and have said that the states need to meet their principal responsibility. This can now happen and it can give Australians greater confidence than ever that at least this nation will be tackling our major natural resource problems. Out of that, we can not only ensure greater prosperity for our primary producers but also address the declining biodiversity of this great country. (Time expired)