August 8th, 2007

ALTERNATIVES NEEDED BEFORE DESAL PLANT GOES AHEAD

The desalination plant at Wonthaggi will be a major industrial facility imposed on Bass Coast largely for the benefit of people in Melbourne, Eastern Region MP Peter Hall has told Parliament.

Mr Hall said that what was really annoying the local people was that there appeared to have been little detailed consideration of alternative ways to address Melbourne’s water issues.

“I visited the site for the proposed desalination plant at Wonthaggi and met with a number of local concerned citizens to discuss issues associated with it,” Mr Hall told Parliament. “Make no mistake, this desalination plant is going to be a major industrial facility!

“The treatment plant alone will stand at a height of 18 metres, which is the height of a six-storey building, the land-base area will be 750 metres by at least 400 metres, with attached facilities around that.

“A major industrial facility is being imposed on the communities of Bass Coast shire largely for the benefit of the people of Melbourne.”

Mr Hall said people were angry that alternatives had not been given due consideration.

“There is no evidence that there has been detailed consideration of some reasonable alternatives in addressing Melbourne’s water deficiency.

“I refer in particular to the harvesting of stormwater, to the greater reusing of treated water within the city of Melbourne and its suburbs, to the feasibility of constructing a number of smaller desalination plants at a greater number of points closer to Melbourne.”

Mr Hall added there was even the thought, put forward by Kenneth Davidson in last week’s Age, that a water pipeline could connect Tasmania with Victoria.

“We have an electricity connection, why not a water pipeline?” he said.

Mr Hall said country people had had enough of providing services to Melbourne without sufficient investigation into reasonable alternatives.

Outside Parliament, the Nationals’ MP said: “I said when this plan was announced that it was a desperate effort by the State Government to be seen to be doing something about water.

“The longer this process goes on, the more apparent it is that the State has not done its research. Other alternatives must be properly explored before huge amounts of money are spent on this project and the amenity of the Bass Coast is destroyed by an industrial eyesore.”

Media contact:                  Peter Hall      (03) 5174 7066   or 0427 747 066