Page 190 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 26 February 2014
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MS BERRY: Minister, which areas of the ACT are likely to benefit from this funding?
MR CORBELL: As part of the agreement between the two levels of government, there are six priority subcatchments within the ACT that are the focus of this funding. The first is Yarralumla Creek. Obviously Yarralumla Creek flows through the Woden valley, and was constructed at a time when not a lot of attention was paid to urban water quality and the discharges into the broader river system.
There is also Fyshwick, to deal with the flows that come from a commercial and light industrial area into areas such as the Jerrabomberra wetlands; the new development areas in the lower Molonglo and west Belconnen; and Lake Tuggeranong. We know there are a range of critical water quality issues for Lake Tuggeranong, and I am pleased to advise my colleagues from Brindabella that there will clearly be a focus on those areas. I refer also to the upper Molonglo, recognising that there are areas upstream and in New South Wales, such as areas around Captains Flat and Queanbeyan, which need to be addressed as well to improve water quality in lower parts of the Molonglo.
This is very welcome funding. As members can see, it is a comprehensive look at a range of areas across the ACT. I know that there are many community organisations, many residents, who are keen to see work start in these areas. We will work with them in developing the baseline data, doing the research and monitoring, and then working with the commonwealth to deploy the funding that has now been agreed, to make a real difference when it comes to water quality in these subcatchments.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Gentleman.
MR GENTLEMAN: Minister, why is the ACT contributing money towards this important initiative?
MR CORBELL: The ACT government will be making a contribution as part of this joint funding arrangement. Whilst the bulk of the funding is from the commonwealth, recognising the ACT’s participation and agreement to the national water reforms and the entering into of the intergovernmental agreements in regard to the Murray-Darling basin, we will continue to make our own contributions.
The ACT’s contributions can be in kind but must still be new moneys allocated specifically to these projects. The government already spends a significant amount of money in investing in better water quality treatments, particularly in new urban areas as they are expanded and developed, such as, for example, Molonglo. These will be able to be taken into account, recognising that this is a joint responsibility between the two levels of government.
As I have previously said, the first two years of funding will be focused on data gathering and research. We need to make sure that we have a targeted program of future infrastructure works. For that we need a comprehensive water quality monitoring and data analysis program to be implemented. That funding will better inform infrastructure spending. It will build the business case further with the commonwealth in relation to individual projects within the $85 million envelope.
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