Election Issue: Water

Media Release

19 January 2007

As an independent candidate my role is not to formulate an entire water use and management policy.  Rather, my role is to understand the issues and the options and to ensure as best I can that government policy addresses the challenge in the way that optimises the outcome for all citizens.

What we have seen so far is a series of ill considered, knee jerk reactions without a proper consideration of real alternatives such as a much more careful usage, diverting stormwater and recycling.  The recent announcement of the vast new dam at Tillegra is also a matter of concern even though there would be obvious economic benefit to the people of my electorate in the construction phase.  I drove through that area in the last week, I drive I would recommend to anyone contemplating the dam so that they fully understand the beauty of the country and the value of its fertile soil before we allow 450 billion litres of water to flood it.  If we are to pay such a high price we need to know that the dam really is necessary and that it will provide a realistic long-term solution, or contribution to the solution, of our water problems.

Dr Charles Essery reported in May 2005 that the government spent $4 million on desalination investigation before looking at recycling, stormwater and rainwater.  Has there been any assessment of the viability of the proposed dam having regard to climate change, population growth or other variations in demand?  And is the proposed dam really necessary having regard to potentially vast reductions in fresh water usage that might be made if industrial consumers turned to recycled water instead of drinking water for industrial manufacturing processes.

If we increased the cost of water - to a level that is still affordable - to drive home the conservation message, and if we invested the resulting revenue in stormwater diversion and grey water and effluent recycling instead of Treasury taking it in dividends, would we not be investing in long term sustainability?

I should finally add, as a completely separate point, that I was and still am highly skeptical of the benefit to the general public of the commoditisation and privatisation of water.  I think overseas and interstate experience dictates that the role of private enterprise in the ownership and provision of water should be very closely monitored.  Private management - perhaps.  Private ownership - no.

Media Contact:  Justin McKee

02 49 330564/0404 824 020