Jim Lloyd (Robertson, Liberal Party, Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads) Share this | Hansard source

My colleague at the table asks, ‘What about the states?’ You only have to look at the track record of the Labor governments in each state and territory. Overall and together they are running deficit budgets, despite the fact they get every cent from the GST and that they have increasing revenues as part of the tax reform process which was opposed by federal Labor. The message is very clear.

Finally, in my own electorate of Robertson at the moment—we are in a sound financial position—we have been able to fund a pipeline from the Hunter Water Corporation, which has certainly secured our short-term situation on the Central Coast where water is the primary issue of concern. We have put some $6½ million into that pipeline. I am seeking assistance from the state government and the Australian government to look at funding another pipeline from Mardi Dam along with my colleague the member for Dobell so that we can pump water from Mardi Dam into Mangrove Creek Dam. We have to get the state government to come on board to assist us as they have the primary responsibility for water infrastructure on the Central Coast. (Time expired)

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