The pugnacious and hapless former state water minister Tim Holding was often the butt of Colin Suggett’s cartoons during the anti-desalination campaign. The resignation of former state water minister Tim Holding on Friday prompted Mark Robertson to reflect on the ongoing costs – environmental and financial – of the desalination project.
By Mark Robertson
SINCE Victoria’s desalination project was announced in 2007, Watershed Victoria has questioned many aspects of the project: the huge cost, size, location, and lack of serious consideration of alternative water sources. Our concerns have so far proved prophetic.
Recently the Melbourne media has given prominence to the enormous financial burden placed on our state: nearly $1 billion a year for the next three decades going to an overseas water corporation (Suez Degremont) will hamper the state’s ability to develop sustainable and affordable water security. During the recent drought, for example, Melbourne water users saved as much water as will be produced by the desal plant simply by complying with water restrictions. It was virtually free.
Aquasure is now trying to claim an extra $1 billion in compensation for problems during construction, including weather events such as typhoons and cyclonic conditions, earthquakes and industrial strife. Weather problems should have been foreseen – Wonthaggi is “the land of wind and rain” – and most of the industrial strife was caused by the company spying on its own workforce. Protesters were also probably subjected to intelligence gathering and monitoring of their activities as set out in the contract.
Building a large plant on the floodplain of an estuary of national significance (Powlett River) in an undeveloped coastal area was foolish. It's next to the Bunurong Marine National Park, “the jewel of Victoria’s marine parks”, according to Parks Victoria. Future sea level rises, along with the regular heavy rain and winds for which our coast is renowned, may create havoc with the site.
The environmental effects statement produced by the Department of Sustainability and Environment (the project manager) could hardly be regarded as independent or comprehensive. One example was the omission of information that the Bunurong coast is visited by humpback and southern right whales, both listed federally as endangered. Environment ministers Peter Garrett and Tony Burke chose to ignore this even when residents provided photos and lists of sightings.
When it's operating, the plant will suck in 12,000 litres a second of sea water carrying large quantities of plankton. This is the base of the local marine food chain, feeding many fish, seals, dolphins and penguins and providing a source of new life to populate the marine park and surrounding waters. Imagine the potential harm to our world-renowned Penguin Parade.
So far all our questions have been met with a “Don’t worry, she’ll be right” attitude. As Aquasure and DSE won't commit to comprehensive publicly accessible marine monitoring, a number of community organisations are currently planning their own.
Meanwhile, the ratepayers of Bass Coast have been left to wear large costs for the privilege of hosting what is really a large private money-making corporation. We were assured damage to local roads by thousands of truck movements during construction would be rectified but it appears now this will only apply to certain roads. Ratepayers will have to pay to fix the rest. The council has to forgo rates formerly paid by local farmers whose land was compulsorily acquired. As a project of state significance, Aquasure doesn't have to pay rates and they pay a token lease for the land. We were led to believe there would be upgrades to the Wonthaggi hospital, education facilities, broadband access, a more reliable power supply and even perhaps a grand cultural centre. None has materialised.
Now there is cause for concern about persistent rumours of further industrialisation of our almost pristine coastline in the form of power stations and bottling plants.
Watershed Victoria has been at the forefront of pointing out the obvious flaws in Victoria’s largest and most expensive infrastructure project. We will continue to monitor its impacts on our community and environment.
Will our predictions continue to be as accurate as they have been over the last five years? Will our politicians learn from this debacle? Will our state be bankrupted by the great white elephant? Time will tell.
Mark Robertson is president of Watershed Victoria.
SINCE Victoria’s desalination project was announced in 2007, Watershed Victoria has questioned many aspects of the project: the huge cost, size, location, and lack of serious consideration of alternative water sources. Our concerns have so far proved prophetic.
Recently the Melbourne media has given prominence to the enormous financial burden placed on our state: nearly $1 billion a year for the next three decades going to an overseas water corporation (Suez Degremont) will hamper the state’s ability to develop sustainable and affordable water security. During the recent drought, for example, Melbourne water users saved as much water as will be produced by the desal plant simply by complying with water restrictions. It was virtually free.
Aquasure is now trying to claim an extra $1 billion in compensation for problems during construction, including weather events such as typhoons and cyclonic conditions, earthquakes and industrial strife. Weather problems should have been foreseen – Wonthaggi is “the land of wind and rain” – and most of the industrial strife was caused by the company spying on its own workforce. Protesters were also probably subjected to intelligence gathering and monitoring of their activities as set out in the contract.
Building a large plant on the floodplain of an estuary of national significance (Powlett River) in an undeveloped coastal area was foolish. It's next to the Bunurong Marine National Park, “the jewel of Victoria’s marine parks”, according to Parks Victoria. Future sea level rises, along with the regular heavy rain and winds for which our coast is renowned, may create havoc with the site.
The environmental effects statement produced by the Department of Sustainability and Environment (the project manager) could hardly be regarded as independent or comprehensive. One example was the omission of information that the Bunurong coast is visited by humpback and southern right whales, both listed federally as endangered. Environment ministers Peter Garrett and Tony Burke chose to ignore this even when residents provided photos and lists of sightings.
When it's operating, the plant will suck in 12,000 litres a second of sea water carrying large quantities of plankton. This is the base of the local marine food chain, feeding many fish, seals, dolphins and penguins and providing a source of new life to populate the marine park and surrounding waters. Imagine the potential harm to our world-renowned Penguin Parade.
So far all our questions have been met with a “Don’t worry, she’ll be right” attitude. As Aquasure and DSE won't commit to comprehensive publicly accessible marine monitoring, a number of community organisations are currently planning their own.
Meanwhile, the ratepayers of Bass Coast have been left to wear large costs for the privilege of hosting what is really a large private money-making corporation. We were assured damage to local roads by thousands of truck movements during construction would be rectified but it appears now this will only apply to certain roads. Ratepayers will have to pay to fix the rest. The council has to forgo rates formerly paid by local farmers whose land was compulsorily acquired. As a project of state significance, Aquasure doesn't have to pay rates and they pay a token lease for the land. We were led to believe there would be upgrades to the Wonthaggi hospital, education facilities, broadband access, a more reliable power supply and even perhaps a grand cultural centre. None has materialised.
Now there is cause for concern about persistent rumours of further industrialisation of our almost pristine coastline in the form of power stations and bottling plants.
Watershed Victoria has been at the forefront of pointing out the obvious flaws in Victoria’s largest and most expensive infrastructure project. We will continue to monitor its impacts on our community and environment.
Will our predictions continue to be as accurate as they have been over the last five years? Will our politicians learn from this debacle? Will our state be bankrupted by the great white elephant? Time will tell.
Mark Robertson is president of Watershed Victoria.