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Bracks Backflips Again On Wimmera Mallee Pipeline

Shadow Minister for Country Victoria Philip Davis has welcomed the Bracks Government’s second backflip on securing funds for the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline.

By Philip Davis - 3rd March 2005 - Back to News

Mr Davis said the Bracks Government was dragged kicking and screaming into changing its mind a second time on whether to support the Federal Government’s National Water Initiative, which would fund the pipeline.

Farmers in Wimmera Mallee have been pinning their hopes on the Bracks Government seeing the error of its ways, because without state support the project would be stalled further.

"Despite signing the agreement in June 2004, the Bracks Government changed its mind only three months later during the Federal Election campaign and stated it no longer supported the scheme," Mr Davis said.

"Now, only a further five months down the track, the Bracks Government has changed its mind yet again, indicating to the Federal Government that it is willing to support the initiative which will result in the funding of the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline and other vital water projects.

"In the space of 10 months, the Bracks Government has managed to support the scheme, back away and label it a ‘hoax’ and then pledge support again.

"It would seem the only ‘hoax’ that went on was the Bracks Government’s electioneering."

Mr Davis said the Bracks Government had been slow to commit its one-third share of funds for the project, rejecting Liberal Party moves to have it funded from the environmental levy through the Water Industry (Environmental Contributions) Act 2004.

Mr Davis said although it was clear that the Bracks Government was incapable of making up its mind, he was pleased the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline project was now secure.

"This important project has had an enormous amount of community participation in trying to stop water loss through seepage and evaporation while operating the stock and domestic channel system," he said.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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