Senate told Brumby’s wrong on Water figures

14-April-2009

Federal Liberal Member for Indi Sophie Mirabella MP has slammed the Victorian Labor Government as “gutless and weak” in response to evidence presented at the Senate Committee hearing into the Water Amendment (Saving the Goulburn and Murray Rivers) Bill 2008 in Shepparton yesterday.

“The inquiry saw new evidence presented which indicated the figures used as the basis for determining the amount of water savings from the Food bowl modernisation project and justification for such environmental vandalism were manipulated,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“Plug the Pipe presented a report to the Senate Committee in Shepparton which highlighted that the Brumby Labor Government had used incorrect figures of channel flows, water savings and water losses – It’s tricky, it’s a disgrace and it’s dishonest.”

“I join with Plug the Pipe is demanding that the Government halt the construction of the North-South Pipeline until an independent audit of the figures can be done properly. This Pipeline is environmental vandalism, it will completely destroy our local community’s ability to maintain viable local water supply,” Mrs Mirabella said.

In February 2008 the pipeline was made a controlled action under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

“In August Minister Garrett gave approval to the North South pipeline. He has really let down our cherished local communities and the residents of the North-East who expected the Rudd Government would see commonsense and stand up to their State Labor mates. Sadly Federal Labor gave them the green light instead.”

“Minister Garrett must see sense, he boasts to be a radical environmentalist, obviously only when it suits his short term political ambitions. He must call for an immediate cease to work on the pipeline until there is an audit undertaken to investigate manipulated figures used by the Brumby Government,” Mrs Mirabella said.

This is no surprise given the auditor General had previously criticised the Government of their mismanagement, inaccuracy, incompetence and inclusiveness on data such as the volumes of water to be saved when sent down the pipeline to Melbourne.”

“The North South Pipeline is the single most disastrous policy put forward by the Victorian Labor Government. The Senate Inquiry found the figures used for justification were clearly incorrect.

Our local water systems will be left dry and it will be on Mr Garrett’s conscious when it happens,” Mrs Mirabella concluded.