Senator STERLE (3:17 PM) —Mr Deputy President, there are not many things that I congratulate the opposition on, but on your election to Deputy President I do congratulate them. I know that you will serve the Senate very well. Let me say that I have sat here and listened to tripe coming from South Australian opposition senators, bearing in mind that a couple of them have only been here in the Senate in the last couple of years. For them to sit there and lecture us on this side about the situation of the Murray-Darling Basin after 11½ long years—I did not think I would have to use that line again—because, in what I think were Senator Fisher’s words, we are not fast enough, not strong enough—I say, through you, Mr Deputy President, fair go, Senator Fisher! We have been in power on this side for nine months.

Through you, Mr Deputy President, we are unlike your side over there, who sat on your collective bums for 11½ years and never realised that there was a problem with water in the southern half of Australia—for 11½ years. There was not a word until, 12 months out from the possibility of a federal election, the previous Prime Minister, Mr Howard, decided that there was a problem in the Murray-Darling Basin.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Senator STERLE —Oh, give us break, Senators opposite! No wonder I pick up the paper and I read headlines at certain times about how embarrassing question time can be. By crikey, I am so glad the writers do not have to listen to the broadcasting of motions to take note of answers coming from that side. What an absolute diatribe! What absolute rubbish, to lecture us on the problem in the Murray-Darling Basin.

Through you, Mr Deputy President, I congratulate Minister Wong. Let me look at the achievements of Minister Wong in a very short period of time. I think it was in the first month that Minister Wong had negotiated the signing of Kyoto.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Senator STERLE —For 11½ years, for you lot, it did not exist. You did not want to know about climate change. You were sceptics, saying, ‘Let’s keep our heads buried under the table,’ and hoping that no-one would realise that not only did you not have a clue but you did not give a damn. Then you come in here and lecture us about what we have done in nine months.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —Senator Sterle, I remind you to address the chair.

Senator STERLE —I certainly will, Mr Deputy President. Let me talk about a certain reference to the committee that I chair, the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport. I am joined on that committee by the good senator Senator O’Brien. There is a reference to that committee for which we have already advertised for submissions and for which we are going to be paying visits to Adelaide and Melbourne. Unlike senators opposite, we want to hear about it. We want to know what the problems are down there. We want to hear from the communities, the irrigators, the growers and all those involved in the Murray-Darling Basin. We want to hear from them. We do not need our Prime Minister, all of a sudden, 12 months out from an election, to think: ‘Oh my goodness, how can I deflect all these issues around Work Choices and the issue of the sale of Telstra? Let’s throw up the Murray-Darling Basin. Let’s recognise now that there is a problem.’

To those good people who rely on the Murray-Darling and all the tributaries and the rivers down there, whether they be through their communities or farming or whatever—

Senator Bernardi interjecting—

Senator STERLE —Mr Deputy President, Senator Bernardi just opened his mouth and said that I have never been there. Through you, Mr Deputy President, I beg to differ, Senator Bernardi. When I was a truck driver in my previous life—

Senator Bernardi interjecting—

Senator STERLE —Oh, you doubt me! Through you, Mr Deputy President, do you doubt that I have been down there, Senator Bernardi?

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —Order! There are far too many interjections. Senator Sterle should be heard in silence. Senator Sterle.

Senator STERLE —I do not mind taking interjections when senators opposite are talking rubbish. I have been down there and I will be down there again, Senator Bernardi. I might not have my blue singlet on, driving my truck, but I am dying to hear from the people who rely on the lower lakes and the Coorong. And we supported that reference. I will be on that committee, I will be down there listening and I will be taking back to the minister everything that I hear down there because it is a major issue. Minister Wong should be congratulated because she is doing something about it. Minister Wong was talking about this in opposition. Minister Wong did not wait 12 months out from the election to say all of a sudden, ‘Uh-oh! We stink because of what we have done with Work Choices; we had better start talking about other things like climate change and drought.’

There was a statement earlier from Senator Fisher about Minister Wong mentioning, because there is not a lot of water down there, drought and climate change. Senator Fisher queried that. I ask you, Senator Fisher—and I said to Senator Bernardi—did the Chinese pull the plug out? Is that what happened? Or on the other side of the earth did they let the plug out so the water has just run away? How ridiculous! Of course it is climate change. We know it is climate change. We are going through one of the greatest droughts ever. But we will not be talking about it; we will do something about this and it will be led by one of the best water ministers that this country has seen for a long, long time. In fact I take that back; the best water minister. She is actually going to do something. She is not going to sit back there and talk about it. (Time expired)