Stewart McArthur (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise in favour of the major water recycling project in the Geelong region—the Barwon Water proposal for a water reclamation plant in northern Geelong. I have been supporting this proposition for the past 18 months. This is a Barwon Water proposal to help save water, recycle water and deliver increased water for home use by people of Geelong’s northern suburbs.

The Shell company has supported this proposal and committed to support recycling water from the Shell refinery plant. The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Turnbull, has been carefully analysing the proposal from Barwon Water to see if it meets the criteria for funding from the Australian water fund. Minister Turnbull was so interested in the proposal that he accepted my invitation in January to meet with Barwon Water and Shell officials on site in Corio. This project should go ahead and I strongly support it. I look forward to a final analysis by the government and Minister Turnbull.

It is of concern that the federal Labor candidate for Corio has suggested that, under a future Labor government, any federal funding should be tied to Shell’s investment and employment arrangements. This is a water recycling initiative and should not be confused with ALP or trade union policies on employment or business investment. It is not clear whether federal Labor support Barwon Water recycling or not. Labor should act quickly to remove any uncertainty that they would put unreasonable caveats on the funding for this project.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In April the Leader of the Opposition and I announced our support for $20 million from the Australian water fund for the Shell water recycling project, in partnership with the Victorian state government, which would contribute the same amount, and Shell, which would contribute $24 million. We did that after representation from our candidates for Corio and Corangamite in Geelong.

This is a very important project and Labor has been announcing support for practical water projects around the nation. Just last Friday we announced a $40 million commitment to build the pipeline to complete the missing link from the Mardi Dam through to Mangrove Creek Dam on the Central Coast—an $80 million project that will complete the water grid and provide water security for the people of the Central Coast. I call upon the Howard government not just to support rhetoric such as the speech from the member for Corangamite but to support this project. (Time expired)

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! It being 2 pm, in accordance with standing order 43, the time for the members’ statements has concluded.