Governmentt set to announce North-South Pipeline

The Bracks Government is expected to announce next week its decision to go ahead with the north – south pipeline to transfer water from the Goulburn Valley to Melbourne.

Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, described this action as water theft and lazy water resource management. It also breaks a pre-election promise.

Dr Sykes said, “True to form the Bracks Government have chosen the easy option of stealing water from the Goulburn Valley rather than investing in a desalination plant, water recycling and improved storm water capture to satisfy Melbourne’s unquenchable thirst for water.

The Nationals see this as another example of transferring the wealth generation potential out of Country Victoria to the city.

The Nationals believe that water savings made in the Murray Darling Basin should remain in the Basin for the benefit of irrigators, communities, industry and the environment.

Water savings projects funded by the proposed Federal Government plan would see the savings remain in the Basin.

This is one of the key reasons for The Nationals support of the Federal plan, providing all undertakings given regarding security of supply and appropriate transfer of powers are honoured by the Federal Government.