Water Minister Lisa Neville has announced plans to make Melbourne’s expensive desalination plant even bigger today, while doubling down on Labor’s no dams policy.
Minister Neville’s comments again prove how short-sighted the Andrews Labor Government is when it comes to planning for Victoria’s future water needs.
Comment attributable to Shadow Minister for Water Steph Ryan
The desal plant is lazy, expensive infrastructure and making it bigger and even more expensive is a lazy approach. It will drive up water bills again when we know families are already really hurting with cost of living pressures.
The Andrews Government is failing to look at better options, like stormwater and rainwater harvest systems and recycled water projects.
These projects are smart infrastructure because they are generally localised, less expensive and less energy-intensive and they produce high-quality water for things like watering parks and gardens and flushing toilets, while taking pressure off drinking water supplies.
The last resort should be panic-ordering another desal unit when there are better, smarter options out there.
Labor’s anti-dams stance is also so short-sighted.
Climate change is driving more extreme storm events and longer dry periods which increases the importance of investing in water capture and storage like dams to ensure reliable water supply.
Labor is so city-centric they think an extra desal unit for Melbourne is somehow going to help farmers and communities in other parts of the state where new dams should definitely be investigated.