Andrew Broad (Mallee, National Party, Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The Mitiamo pipeline had a business case commissioned by the federal government and had a commitment by the state Labor government of $10 million, yet we have failed to deliver it. We need to give some money towards this project. Having been a farmer myself, I know that there is nothing more soul-destroying in a drought than having to cart water and feed. If we can build a pipeline that delivers water to a property permanently then we should get on with it. I ask the Deputy Prime Minister to hurry up and deliver this project. The state Labor government has delivered $10 million. We want $10-12 million from the federal government. It is not very much money. This will connect 87 rural houses and 180 customers. It's 375 kilometres of pipeline. There is nothing better than building infrastructure, particularly to say to drought-affected communities: we believe in you and believe that you have a future. There is an added advantage, because, when you build pipeline infrastructure, the farmers then put tanks and troughs on their own properties, which stimulates the country towns and the little businesses that sell those things. We have procrastinated about this long enough. This is a drought-affected community. It should be built. I call on the Deputy Prime Minister to deliver this and get on with it.

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