House debates

Wednesday, 20 June 2007

Questions without Notice

Water

3:06 pm

Photo of Steven CioboSteven Ciobo (Moncrieff, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources. Would the minister inform the House of the government’s determination to ensure better access to water for all Australians, including in my electorate of Moncrieff. It occurs to me, Mr Speaker, that that is fresh water, not salt water. Is the minister aware of any alternative policies and what is the government’s response?

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. Water is the source of life. Nobody is more aware of that than the people of south-east Queensland. No Australian government, no Commonwealth government, has ever invested so much in water resources. The National Water Initiative was established by the Prime Minister, leading the states and territories into this important intergovernmental agreement. The $2 billion Australian Government Water Fund is funding innovative water infrastructure around Australia, including $408 million into the western corridor recycling project, which will deliver greater water security for all of south-east Queensland, including the constituents of the member for Moncrieff. The $10 billion plan, A National Plan for Water Security, is an example of the government’s long-term planning to deal with longstanding errors and to rectify longstanding mistakes—the vision in water policy that has been so lacking in state governments around Australia.

The honourable member asked me what is the alternative. If you look at Labor’s water policy cupboard you will find it is bare. When I last looked on their website there was a press release from 21 January proposing that a meeting be held. While there is not much on the website, we know that the Labor Party have form. The Leader of the Opposition, the member for Lilley and the member for Kingsford Smith have a lot of form on water. The communities of south-east Queensland have neither forgotten nor forgiven them. Take this front-page article in the Gold Coast Bulletin under the heading ‘Dam drips’: ‘These men got us into the drought mess’. And who are these smiling creatures? Mr Goss is not smiling, but the other three are smiling—Kevin Rudd, Wayne Swan and Peter Garrett.

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! The minister will refer to members by their title or their seat.

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | | Hansard source

I am just quoting the newspaper.

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The minister will still refer to them by their title or their seat.

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | | Hansard source

I will do that. When the former Queensland Premier, Wayne Goss, and his then advisers—the opposition leader and the member for Lilley—scrapped the Wolffdene dam in 1989, they consigned south-east Queensland to the current water crisis. Even Labor’s environment spokesman, the member for Kingsford Smith, then in his Midnight Oil days, lobbied against the dam. Just as our water policies are determined to make every drop count, to make us efficient in our use of water, to make every drop count, so must we make every drip accountable. There they sit—drip one, drip two, drip three. Three drips. You cannot trust Labor with the economy; you cannot trust Labor with water. The three drips have got form and it will be a dry time for Australia if they get to this side of the House.

Photo of Steven CioboSteven Ciobo (Moncrieff, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I would appreciate it if the minister would table the front page of the document he referred to.

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | | Hansard source

I table the document.