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The Hon. DAVID OLDFIELD: My question is directed to the Minister for Transport Services, representing the Minister for Natural Resources. Is the Minister aware that the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Warren Truss, announced this week that he is keen for the States to re-engage on crucial negotiations to implement the Council of Australian Governments National Water Initiative? Does the Government acknowledge the urgent need to get the National Water Initiative under way in the interests of both urban and rural water users? Has the Government in any way reopened negotiations with the Federal Coalition Government to implement the National Water Initiative as agreed at a meeting of the Council of Australian Governments on 25 June 2004?
The Hon. MICHAEL COSTA: Madam President —
[Interruption]
The Hon. Michael Egan: Point of order: I ask that you direct the Minister for Transport Services not to respond to disorderly interjections from the Opposition. The Minister and the Hon. Greg Pearce should be brought to order.
The PRESIDENT: Order! I remind the Minister that interjections are disorderly and he should ignore them.
The Hon. MICHAEL COSTA: I will take the honourable member's question on notice as it is a question for the Minister for Natural Resources. I comment in passing that the Government has stated its position many times on water initiatives. Had it not been for the stunt pulled during the recent election in which funding was withdrawn, we probably would not be confronting the issues that we are confronting at the moment.