Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 9 Hansard (27 August) . . Page.. 3260 ..

MR CORBELL (continuing):

Mr Speaker, I do not see anything in that letter that suggests that Mr Smyth, or the previous Liberal government, gave in-principle support for the direct sale of land to the Little Company of Mary. I think Mr Smyth was perhaps testing and stretching the truth just a little bit. Unfortunately, that is what we have come to expect from Mr Smyth and those opposite-gilding the lily, claiming they did something when they did not and, if they did not do it, claiming that they were going to do it.

Not good enough! While those opposite whinge and complain, this government acts.

Domestic water consumption

MRS DUNNE: My question is to the Minister for Environment, Mr Stanhope. Minister, the stated aim, amongst others, of your water resources strategy is to achieve a 12 per cent reduction in per capita use of potable water over the next 10 years, and a 25 per cent reduction by 2023. Minister, given that about 50 per cent of all water used around the house is used indoors, what are you doing to reduce domestic water consumption inside the house?

MR STANHOPE: What we are doing is developing, for the first time ever, a coordinated and comprehensive strategy to deal explicitly and particularly with the issue of water consumption. It is true, as Mrs Dunne says, that the government, through its recently released water policy has set some quite demanding targets in terms of the reduction of the use of potable water in the ACT. They are significant targets, particularly coming on top of the reductions that have been achieved by the ACT community over the last decade. We have set those targets through the issuing of a water policy and the government stands by them.

We are now moving to the second stage of our determination to address issues around water and water use in the ACT through the development of a detailed, coordinated and heavily consulted water strategy. Indeed, I am pleased to be able to advise members that just today a major community summit was held at the Ainslie Football Club at which around about 200 members of the community attended to discuss the very issues around how to achieve the challenging targets that the government has set in relation to the reduction of potable water use and, indeed, how we might best achieve the targets that we have also set in relation to the reuse of grey water-an equally important task, accepting that at the moment we reuse only 6 per cent of water that is treated in the ACT. We have set similarly a target of 20 per cent in relation to that.

Mrs Dunne: On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

MR STANHOPE: These are matters that will be dealt with through the water strategy which we are currently developing.

Mrs Dunne: Mr Speaker, my question related directly to the reduction of potable water. I did not ask about grey water-that is for another day. My specific question was: what is the government doing to reduce domestic water consumption inside the house? I have not had as yet any answer to that question.

MR STANHOPE: I have concluded my answer, Mr Speaker.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .