15 October 2015
Recently Bryon Winn wrote in these pages (Gannawarra Times October 13 2015) that Australia was not at the forefront in water technology. On that we agree.
Australia is indeed a clever country as demonstrated when our forefathers built infrastructure like the Snowy scheme and storages like Dartmouth and Eildon. We have also used technology to improve water efficiency growing crops and pastures.
I disagree with Mr Winn however on his statement that The Nationals questions about piping water from Wonthaggi desalination plant to the Wimmera and Glenelg rivers is politically motivated.
It is The Nationals responsibility to question each and every action this Labor Government takes when it comes to water. Water Minister Lisa Neville has confirmed that under her leadership the old failed Labor Water Grid policy has been resurrected.
This is the same water policy that saw Labor outrageously waste $750 million of taxpayer dollars building the north-south pipeline in a bid to take irrigation water from northern Victoria to Melbourne.
This is also the same failed Labor policy that caused Melbourne household water bills to more than double from $500 to $12900 per annum when they signed up to build an $18 billion desalination plant that was too big too expensive and too far away from intended customers in the city.
Victorian Labor governments have a very poor record of managing water infrastructure and taxpayers simply cannot afford for another Labor government to waste billions more of their money on pipe dreams.
Peter Walsh Leader of The Nationals
