Media Releases

Shadow Minister for Country Water Resources and Deputy Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh has criticised Member for Gippsland East Craig Ingram for supporting a plan to have Victorians drink purified sewerage water.
Mr Walsh said Mr Ingram had suggested to the Brumby Government that adding recycled sewerage to potable water supplies was a ‘credible and viable option’.
“During Parliament this week, Mr Ingram made it clear that he does not support any additional storages in Gippsland to supply the urban and food production needs of East Gippsland,” Mr Walsh said.
“He would prefer instead to add recycled water to the drinking supplies of Bairnsdale, Paynesville and Metung.”
Mr Walsh said Mr Ingram had articulated his views on adding recycled sewerage to potable water supplies in his dissenting report to the Environment and Natural Resources Committee’s Inquiry into Melbourne’s future water supply.
In the report, Mr Ingram stated:
‘The committee should have supported a much stronger position on purified recycled water.’
In criticising the majority report for failing to recommend recycled water be added to drinking supplies Mr Ingram said:
‘In my view the committee has not shown appropriate leadership on this issue.’
“It would appear Mr Ingram is peddling one view among his Labor mates in Parliament and another in his electorate,” Mr Walsh said.
“The voters of Gippsland East might have something to say if they knew their local member was advocating a plan to add recycled sewerage water to local drinking supplies.”
Mr Walsh said the Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition supported stormwater harvesting and the use of recycled water but only for non-drinking purposes.