Environment Minister David Speirs’ handling of Murray water deal could be investigated by State Parliament

Environment Minister David Speirs’ handling of the Murray Darling Basin Plan – and whether he has broken the law by criticising a royal commissioner – could be probed by State Parliament.

• Report demands complete overhaul of watered-down river plan

Environment Minister David Speirs’ handling of the Murray Darling Basin Plan – and whether he has broken the law by criticising a royal commissioner – could be probed by State Parliament.

Labor will next week seek to establish an Upper House select committee aimed at interrogating the circumstances surrounding the controversial deal struck in December.

The deal meant the upstream states would deliver the 450gl earmarked for South Australia, but only from projects that guaranteed river communities would not be worse off on socio-economic grounds.

It was derided as “nothing short of a capitulation to the interests of the current Commonwealth Government, and those of Victoria and New South Wales,” by Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commissioner Bret Walker SC.

Opposition water spokeswoman Susan Close told The Advertiser Mr Speirs’s handling of the deal, his subsequent comments about the commissioner and confusion over what information the Environment Department gave him before the December meeting, meant a full probe was needed.

David Speirs said the commission’s report was being taken seriously but did not agree with the commissioner’s commentary.

“Nothing less than Parliament having honest, clear advice from the department is absolutely required after the criticism (from Mr Walker) of the Minister (Mr Speirs),” Dr Close said.

The Opposition also said Mr Speirs may have breached the Royal Commission Act by criticising Mr Walker.

Mr Speirs said yesterday the commission’s report was being taken seriously.

“However, I do not agree with the commissioner’s commentary regarding the agreement reached at December’s ministerial council meeting,” he said.

“The commissioner was not privy to discussions leading up to and including the meeting nor did he seek further information from me or anyone else involved in the negotiations.”

Mr Speirs said he was confident his comments have not breached the Act. The Advertiser understands SA Best and the Greens will support the push for a committee.

Mr Walker’s report said “no minister acting reasonably could consider these changes to the criteria to be anything but totally antipathetic to interests of South Australia, and the South Australian environment”.

Former Commonwealth environment water holder David Papps agreed, saying Mr Speirs had taken an unjustified “leap of faith” because the criteria would let those states “welsh” on the agreement.