Home
About
Aus Greens
NSW Greens
Contact Us
Resources
Pictures

SSG Topics
Bullet4 Indigenous
Bullet4 Elections
Bullet4 Development
Bullet4 Water
Bullet4 Money
Bullet4 Climate Change
Bullet4 Conservation
Bullet4 Corruption
Bullet4 Council Elections
Bullet4 Democracy
Bullet4 Drugs
Bullet4 Education
Bullet4 Food
Bullet4 Foreign Affairs
Bullet4 Forests
Bullet4 Health
Bullet4 Housing
Bullet4 IR & Unions
Bullet4 Justice
Bullet4 LGBTI
Bullet4 Middle East
Bullet4 Nuclear
Bullet4 Pollution & Waste
Bullet4 Poverty
Bullet4 Refugees
Bullet4 Renewable Energy
Bullet4 Science & Tech
Bullet4 Transport
Bullet4 Women


 
Water:
Sydney downpour highlights foolish desalination decision
Greens NSW MP John Kaye today called for the Iemma government to freeze work on the desalination plant in response to heavy rains in the Sydney basin and the chance of good inflows to the catchment.
Media release: 9 June 2007
Dr Kaye said: "The NSW government's desalination plant is looking more and more like a $2 billion white elephant.

"As rain pours down over Sydney, storm water tanks would have been a much cheaper and less environmentally damaging way of securing Sydney’s water supplies.

"If predicted rains fall in the Warragamba catchment today, storage levels will be significantly boosted.

"A winter of storms and good rainfalls would make the desalination plant completely unnecessary.

"The Iemma government's fixation on desalination will have wasted $2 billion.

"Water users are being forced to gamble on the massive Kurnell plant being needed, when they could be putting their money into water tanks and efficient appliances that would give them a long term return on lower water bills.

"Water Utilities Minister Nathan Rees has had long enough in his portfolio to undo the mistakes of his predecessors.

"This weekend would be good time to convene a crisis meeting of his senior advisers, admit that the desalination plant is not needed and work with the community to develop more sustainable and lower risk drought response mechanisms and long term water supply options.

"The public would welcome the honesty of politician admitting an error and working to get it right. Mr Rees would only grow in stature if he had the courage to do this.

"While work continues to proceed on the desalination plant, the government is leaving itself open to a $2 billion headache that will continue to undermine its economic and environmental credentials for years to come," Dr Kaye said.


Related links:
Bullet4 www.nsw.greens.org.au/

 Printerfriendly display Printerfriendly display    
 
Coming Events
<< July 2009 >>
S M T W T F S
28 29 30 01 02 03 04
05 06 07 08 09 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31 01

Today's Events

No Events


Upcoming Events

Tue, July 21 2009
Wed, July 22 2009
Tue, August 18 2009
Wed, August 26 2009
Tue, September 15 2009
Wed, September 23 2009
Tue, October 20 2009
Wed, October 28 2009


[ Search ]

Councillor Chris Harris


While the Greens welcome the expenditure of over $5B in rail infrastructure for Sydney, they have serious concerns about the CBD Metro proposal and its priorities and are supporting Pyrmont residents in their efforts to save Union Square. Proposed sites for access to stations and installation of security vents at Union Square, Pyrmont, have prompted community [...]

On Saturday May 23rd I attended a large but peaceful rally organised by the Tamil community in Sydney where I read a statement of support from the Greens NSW parliamentarians – this statement also reflects my view.  Other speakers included Phillip Boulten, barrister defending Tamils who are being prosecuted on terror-related charges, Reverend John Barr, [...]

The Harold Park Paceway has asked the Minister for Planing to use her Part 3A powers to determine a concept plan for the re-zoning and redevelopment of both the trotting facility and the adjacent historic Tramsheds. The Greens are very concerned about this approach by the Trotting Club to have the concept plan determined inside the [...]

The City of Sydney Council has been urged by the Greens to provide 18 weeks paid maternity leave for employees in line with an endorsement by the NSW Local Government Association. Extending the leave from 14 to 18 weeks would show that the City of Sydney values parenting and recognises the huge investment women make to [...]

Sydney’s hard pressed police were called in this week to remove protestors from the City of Sydney’s works site in Wood St, Forest Lodge. The protestors were trying to make the Lord Mayor see reason and remove a large switchback path that was a last minute inclusion in the design of the important wildlife habitat area contained [...]