A draft water strategy produced by the Brumby Labor Government has thrown its argument for the north-south pipeline into disarray, The Nationals Member for Rodney Paul Weller said today.
Mr Weller said the release of the Draft Northern Region Sustainable Water Strategy categorically proved that there was not enough water in the north of the state to justify a supply to Melbourne.
He said the government’s own figures now fully supported the Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition’s position that the north-south pipeline was a reckless proposal and should be scrapped.
“This document confirms that there will be much less water in the north of Victoria if the effects of climate change take hold.
“This strategy proves once and for all that the Victorian Coalition’s opposition to the north-south pipeline is justified and that the Brumby Government is making a colossal mistake.”
Mr Weller said the report stated that under medium level climate change predictions, in the Goulburn River system alone there would be 249,000ML less water for consumptive users and 611,000ML less for the environment.
He said the figures highlighted the insanity of the government’s decision to take 75,000ML to Melbourne through the north-south pipeline.
“I can’t wait to see what sort of spin John Brumby and Tim Holding try to put on this one,” Mr Weller said.
“It’s time they stopped denying the facts. The information is there for all to see. It’s in the government’s own handwriting and this time they’ve got nowhere to hide.”
Mr Weller said the Coalition fully supported the modernisation of the irrigation system, but also believed that any and all net water savings generated by the project should remain in the Murray-Darling Basin to support Victorian towns, farmers and the environment as water supplies declined.
“Melbourne has more secure options for water supply in its own catchment,” he said.
“If the government continues to refuse to investigate these options and if it doesn’t abandon this arrogant approach to water policy, Victorians in the country and the city will pay dearly for Labor’s mistakes for generations to come.”
Media contact: Leonie Canham (03) 5482 2039
