Time’s running out for Dan’s wasteful desal

Shadow Minister for Water, Peter Walsh

Background
The Andrews Labor Government is still planning to dump 50GL of desalinated water into Melbourne’s water storages.
Melbourne’s storages are at a healthy 68.3 per cent, but Daniel Andrews is going to dump his desal water in just before the winter filling season starts.
At Parliament’s Budget Outlook hearing today, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) confirmed it would take up to four months to deliver the desal order.
The Government placed the order in April 2016 and said it would be delivered in “summer”. Power faults first revealed in February 2016 are still unresolved.
Customer have not yet paid for the water order, but DELWP also confirmed today that in the last year Melburnians paid more than $600 million in “service fees” even though the plant has been unable to produce water.
Quotes attributable to Shadow Minister for Water Peter Walsh
We’re two weeks away from summer’s end with storages near 70 per cent full, yet Daniel Andrews still hopes to pump in 50GL from his faulty desal plant.
It won’t be long before autumn and winter rains start filling the dams again, so Labor should forget the water order and focus on getting a refund for customers instead.
In the last year the Andrews Government has allowed Melbourne households to be fleeced more than $600 million in so-called “service” payments for a desal plant that doesn’t work.
Melburnians didn’t want a $24 billion desal plant and they definitely didn’t need a $27 million water order this year but Daniel Andrews put politics ahead of people and households continue to foot the bill.

Media contact: Emma Manser 0437 225 386 emma.manser@opposition.vic.gov.au