Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to move:

That the House:

(1)

notes the release by the Victorian Government of details of its Environmental Effects Statement (EES) in relation to the proposed construction of a major water desalination plant at Wonthaggi, in the electorate of McMillan;

(2)

recognises that:

(a)

there has been considerable community opposition to the project on the grounds of its cost, the need for such a development, the lack of consultation with the local community and the serious threat to the coastal and marine environment;

(b)

the operation of the plant will require considerable electric power, adding to greenhouse fas emissions;

(c)

the proposed connection of the plant to the Victorian power grid will have a serious impact on properties along the route of the necessary power lines; and

(d)

local government, community groups and individual objectors have not been given a reasonable period to respond to 80 technical reports that form the basis of the EES; and

(3)

calls on the Australian Government to:

(a)

withhold approval for the project as required under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 until such time as the Victorian Government’s EES can be independently tested; and

(b)

withhold any federal funding for the project until the Australian Government has made its own assessment of the environmental and economic viability of the project.