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| Ian Gilfillan Australian Democrats Member of the Legislative Council |
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Legislative
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| Ian Gilfillan Australian Democrats Member of the Legislative Council |
Parliament Index |
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The Hon. IAN GILFILLAN: I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Justice a question about water carting at Ceduna.
Leave granted. The Hon. IAN GILFILLAN: In 1997 an existing privately-owned water pipeline west of Ceduna was upgraded. Funded partly by ATSIC and partly by the State Government, the bigger, new pipeline brought water to Denial Bay, Koonibba and a number of farms. However, the pipeline stopped about 10 kilometres short of Penong because the funding ran out. The pipeline and access to the water is administered by the Ceduna Koonibba Water Authority (CKWA). Those west of the pipeline's end have had to continue to rely on water carting. Before the upgrading of the pipeline, carting of water was subsidised by the Government for the people of Denial Bay, Penong and the surrounding farms. After the construction stopped in 1997, the subsidies continued although, of course, there were fewer people who needed it once the pipeline was built. Under the subsidy, West Coast residents had to pay an amount twice the rate of those on Eyre Peninsula—$1.70 per kilolitre compared to 80¢ per kilolitre. However, on 30 June the farmers of the region lost their water carting subsidy. Without the carting subsidy, the price of water in the region has now shot up to about $8 a kilolitre—10 times the price on Eyre Peninsula and about 36 times the price that Adelaide residents pay for their first 125 kilolitres per year. In this region water is used sparingly. It was already too expensive to use for irrigation: it is used only for stock and domestic consumption. I am told that this new state of affairs applies only to farmers in the region and not to the town of Penong, although the town, too, could lose its water carting subsidy from the end of September. In the meantime, the area is facing its worst drought in 11 years and the pipeline is still stopped and stoppered 10 kilometres or so short of Penong. It is expected that during the drought the town will need more water than can be supplied by the very limited Penong Flat. My questions to the Minister who represents the Minister for Primary Industries, Natural Resources and Regional Development are: 1. How can the Government justify a decision which, in effect, increases the price of water to a few farmers by 470 per cent—from $1.70 to $8 per kilolitre? 2. What does the Government expect will be the impact on farm viability in the region? 3. Does the Government also intend to withdraw the carting subsidy for the Penong township and, if so, why? 4. When will the Government allocate funds to extend the water pipeline the final 10 kilometres or so to Penong?The Hon. K.T. GRIFFIN: It may be that that question ought to go to the Minister for Government Enterprises, but to whichever Minister it should be directed I will make sure that that is done and bring back a reply.
It took another three months for the water carting subsidy
to be re-instated.
See the Government's reply: 4 July 2000
