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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 11 Hansard (21 October) . . Page.. 3869 ..

MRS DUNNE (4.04): This is a very important issue at any time, but it is particularly appropriate in Water Week that we discuss this matter of public importance on the responsible management and use of water in the ACT.

About 11 months ago, when I introduced the Building (Water Efficiency) Amendment Bill and talked about how important water was, I felt like a voice crying in the wilderness. Eleven short months ago, people did not want to talk about water, and now everyone wants to talk about it. Dinner party conversation has moved away from real estate prices and on to the future of water in the ACT.

In November last year I said that the European peoples who settled this arid continent, for all their resourcefulness, had not been particularly mindful of water conservation. Since then we have moved on significantly. As a community, as a group of legislators, as the government across here, all of us need to take on that increased awareness and capitalise on it. We will never again have the opportunity we currently have to address water conservation and make sure that we have water for posterity.

Those of you who have read this morning's Canberra Times will be aware of my views on water. I won't read them out here, but I will cover some of those things. I am concerned that we have a water restrictions regime that is a short-term solution to what looks more like a long-term problem. On a number of occasions I have expressed my reservations about some of the water restrictions and my concern that they will at best be counterproductive.

I believe that the odds and evens system, rain, hail or shine, encourages rather than discourages water use. We should be sending a message that watering once a week is probably enough. You may not have bowling-green lush lawns, but your garden will survive and we may find a better way of organising our lives.

I have also encouraged the concept of total water bans-not unlike total fire bans. If it has rained a certain amount within a particular time, there should not be watering for a period of time following that. That should be mandated, it should be announced as weather is announced every night. "Tomorrow in Belconnen is a total water ban because we've had 20 millimetres of rain in the last two days."You don't need to water if you've had 20 millimetres of rain.

We need also to address the long-term issues, and I thank Ms Tucker for the MPI. There are issues of cutting water use, water supply and water management, which we need to address in a proactive way for the long-term security of our families and our community. I disagree with Ms Tucker on the no dams, no growth policy that she seems to be encouraging. I am not surprised; it seems to be part of being a Green.

But in this environment, given the current state of public debate, we should put aside our ideology and have a discussion about all the issues and then decide whether we need a dam. We cannot come to this debate with the view that no dam is the desired outcome. I was disappointed to see on Friday and over the weekend the comments by ACTCOSS and the Conservation Council along those lines-at all costs no dam.

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