Minister for Water, Tim Holding’s body language was ‘like a rabbit in the spotlight’ as he struggled to answer “What will be the cost of piping a mega litre of water to Melbourne via the North-South Pipeline” during the Public Accounts & Estimates Committee hearing in Parliament this week, according to committee member Bill Sykes MP.
Dr Sykes said, “The normally extremely confident Mr Holding spluttered and uttered incomplete statements as he failed to answer this most basic question which I put to him.
“Fancy committing to a $750m project to pipe water without knowing the cost per megalitre pumped!”
Dr Sykes continued, “It gets more interesting. Mr Holding has also committed to delivering a total of 520,000 ML of water savings from various projects even though losses in 2007/08 only totalled 450,000 ML.
“It certainly will require the production of ‘new water’ to deliver on that promise.
“Mr Holding also said that the Food Bowl Modernisation Project would be completed on time and on budget – in spite of the 50% cost blow out in the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline and the similar cost blowouts on upgrading of irrigation infrastructure at Shepparton East.
“Time will show that Mr Holding will not be able to deliver on his promises.”
Dr Sykes concluded, “We need to continue expressing our concern about the flawed logic behind piping water from the dry north to the wetter south. Please write to Mr Brumby and express your concerns and sign our updated petition which is available from my office at 2/55 Carrier Street, Benalla Ph: 5762 2100.
Media Contact: Bill Sykes (03) 5762 2100
