Daryl Melham (Banks, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I recently met with representatives of Hurstville City Council, on site, to inspect works at the Hurstville golf course. Under its Water for the Future initiative, the government has invested $1.07 million towards a new project that will harvest, capture, treat and store stormwater in an outside bioretention and pond scheme at the golf course. The water will be used to irrigate tees, greens and fairways where, in the past, potable water has been used. When fully implemented, the project will save over 20 million litres of potable water annually.

Hurstville council commenced works in July this year, with a dam being constructed as the first step in the project. The dam is located to the west of the fourth hole and will become a water hazard as part of the course. As well as the bioretention system and storage pond, the scheme will include a small wetland in front of the third green. Patrons will be further challenged by a drainage swale between the third and 15th fairways.

This council initiative will have a positive impact on the course and on the local environment as well as water savings through the collection and reuse of stormwater running under Roberts Avenue and Lime Kiln Bay. This scheme will prevent sand, sediment and other unwanted substances from entering Lime Kiln Bay, as only treated water will run off into the bay.

In addition, council planning includes the planting of a large number of trees, plants and shrubs and will provide an important habitat for native animals. It will fully offset greenhouse emissions associated with the ongoing operation of the scheme. Apart from adding to the golf course's visual appeal, some of the key benefits include improving the course's playability and boosting the course's rating from par 69 to par 70.

I have been very pleased to work with Hurstville council staff and the retiring mayor, Councillor Steve McMahon, on this very worthwhile project. Councillor McMahon and long-term councillor Vince Badalati were with me to inspect the site. Councillor McMahon recently announced his intention to retire from council, and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on the significant contribution he has made to Hurstville during his 11 years on council. He became mayor in September 2011. Steve commenced his time as mayor by getting rid of the mayoral vehicle and spending the proceeds on a children's playground at Ruby Wing Reserve in Mortdale. His time as mayor focused on getting back to basics, and his tenure has certainly reflected that focus. My congratulations to Hurstville council and its consultant team of engineers, landscape designers and irrigation specialists for their work on this innovative project.

I am particularly pleased that the project was chosen as one of nine national projects totalling over $42 million. Parliamentary Secretary Don Farrell noted that the nine successful projects all deliver innovative and sustainable stormwater harvesting and reuse projects to help secure water supplies in urban areas. Nationally, the projects will increase urban water supplies by providing an estimated 5.625 billion litres of treated stormwater a year.

This is a partnership between the Commonwealth government and Hurstville council, because Hurstville council funded the first part of the scheme. I think these partnership projects go very well in all communities around Australia. They give the local council ownership and, in a lot of instances, they could not proceed with the development if it were not for the contribution of the federal government. Projects like this in other areas have also been funded by the government. All of us in our own respective areas see these projects, in many respects, as the most invigorating in our local communities.

In the former part of my electorate, I managed to achieve some funding for Bankstown Oval, where Bankstown council and Bankstown cricket club, of which I am a patron, had funded earlier projects. The project will hopefully be opened early next year. It is a community area with many other facilities that can be used. Again, it is a partnership. I commend this project and all other projects to the House.