Mr WOOD - 2007-05-01
You stated in your media release on 24 April that there will be an $8m upgrade at the Howard River bore field Stage 2, which will allow an increase in capacity of 6%. Could you explain exactly what that means in litres of water pumped? Why do you need a pump to pump more water from the rural bore fields when you announced that you will spend $8.5m to raise Darwin River Dam by 1.3 m, increasing its capacity by a whopping 20%?
Is your government not sending out the wrong message to residents in the rural area who have volunteered to meter their bores? If the metering of bores is about obtaining information for future water usage, surely any increase in production bore output should wait until the results of the monitoring programs have been analysed and the community has had a chance to comment?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. He refers to my press release of 24 April. I know he is very concerned about the water situation in the rural area. I would have expected him to pick up the phone and call my office to get a briefing, but he did not. On the other hand, the member for Goyder called my office. He had a briefing, and a meeting with Power and Water, where he was informed about the proposal and how it was going to be addressed. You cannot say to me …
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This is Question Time. I asked the minister a question and I am being abused for not asking him on 24 April. That is a joke.
Members interjecting.
Mr WOOD: You are a joke!
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Nelson, resume your seat. There is no point of order. Minister, please come to the point.
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, the member for Nelson has quite rightly pointed out it is Question Time. He is getting an answer, but he does not get an answer he likes, that is why he objects.
I will give him the answer. As he is well aware, Power and Water has a licence application requesting an additional three million litres per annum. The reason we want to develop Stage 2 of the bore fields is because we do not want to put all our eggs in one basket. We do not want to have the same problem as down south, where we have the Prime Minister of a developed country asking his citizens to pray for rain so we can have water. We are not going to go down that path, member for Nelson. What we are doing is planning for the future.
You are well aware of what we are proposing, because the Stage 2 development was discussed at a rural area forum last year which was chaired by you, and earlier this year at a similar forum. You are well aware that Power and Water has a very small number of bores - six production bores - in the rural area, that draw only 15% of the water of the potable area. On the other hand, there are 3500 bores, with no meters - apart from 200 - that draw 85% of the water from the area. We have to address the water issue, member for Nelson. We have to consider our future.
You are well aware that this application will not proceed unless Power and Water gets all the necessary approvals from NRETA, and for the water allocation plan for water resources in the rural area. Yesterday’s announcement was that we are allocating money, but all this money is subject to receiving the necessary approvals and the water allocation plans.
Is your government not sending out the wrong message to residents in the rural area who have volunteered to meter their bores? If the metering of bores is about obtaining information for future water usage, surely any increase in production bore output should wait until the results of the monitoring programs have been analysed and the community has had a chance to comment?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. He refers to my press release of 24 April. I know he is very concerned about the water situation in the rural area. I would have expected him to pick up the phone and call my office to get a briefing, but he did not. On the other hand, the member for Goyder called my office. He had a briefing, and a meeting with Power and Water, where he was informed about the proposal and how it was going to be addressed. You cannot say to me …
Mr WOOD: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This is Question Time. I asked the minister a question and I am being abused for not asking him on 24 April. That is a joke.
Members interjecting.
Mr WOOD: You are a joke!
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Nelson, resume your seat. There is no point of order. Minister, please come to the point.
Mr VATSKALIS: Madam Speaker, the member for Nelson has quite rightly pointed out it is Question Time. He is getting an answer, but he does not get an answer he likes, that is why he objects.
I will give him the answer. As he is well aware, Power and Water has a licence application requesting an additional three million litres per annum. The reason we want to develop Stage 2 of the bore fields is because we do not want to put all our eggs in one basket. We do not want to have the same problem as down south, where we have the Prime Minister of a developed country asking his citizens to pray for rain so we can have water. We are not going to go down that path, member for Nelson. What we are doing is planning for the future.
You are well aware of what we are proposing, because the Stage 2 development was discussed at a rural area forum last year which was chaired by you, and earlier this year at a similar forum. You are well aware that Power and Water has a very small number of bores - six production bores - in the rural area, that draw only 15% of the water of the potable area. On the other hand, there are 3500 bores, with no meters - apart from 200 - that draw 85% of the water from the area. We have to address the water issue, member for Nelson. We have to consider our future.
You are well aware that this application will not proceed unless Power and Water gets all the necessary approvals from NRETA, and for the water allocation plan for water resources in the rural area. Yesterday’s announcement was that we are allocating money, but all this money is subject to receiving the necessary approvals and the water allocation plans.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016