Page 4337 - Week 12 - Thursday, 24 October 2019
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(e) any other relevant matter; and
(2) the inquiry reports to the Assembly on the matter no later than the conclusion of the March 2020 sitting week.
I bring this motion here today with a view to bringing a positive and effective outcome on the water supply issue that is affecting an iconic part of the ACT and the Canberrans who reside there. The motion before us today is one that seeks to ensure that thorough scrutiny and attention is placed on the Tharwa community and their ongoing need for a secure and reliable water supply, in terms of both their potable and non-potable water needs.
Most of us who live in the suburbs can quite easily take advantage of the water supply that is reticulated through Canberra suburbs. The water supply to Tharwa has been a problem for a long time. In the past this problem has largely been solved by the community itself through various self-funded options. The fact that any attention is now being paid to this issue is welcomed by residents.
In 2015 a study was completed by the Environment and Planning Directorate regarding options for a non-potable water supply for Tharwa. This report recommended a solution for both firefighting and non-potable needs. The report resulted in ACT government funding for the project in the 2016-17 budget.
We are all aware of the situation faced by Tharwa in the 2003 fight that was waged against the unrelenting firestorm that hit Canberra. Tharwa residents held their own and prevailed against a formidable fire front. Every summer, rural residents of the territory wait for the next bushfire. Their firefighting needs are a very real and prevalent issue. The proposed water works seek to primarily support urban firefighting needs in the village; they also will service the rural fire units based there, and others, in the event of another bushfire.
The residents of Tharwa are pleased, for the most part, that this funding for firefighting needs has been appropriated and that there has been some attention paid to their future water requirements. There is still, however, a great deal of concern among the community about what exactly is being proposed in terms of the non-potable water supply at Tharwa for a firefighting project and how effective it will be in achieving the desired outcomes.
There are also concerns around the value for money the government is getting out of this project as the current proposals stand and about the direction the current planning is heading in. Aspects of this project, including location, effectiveness and value for money, have been brought into question by residents, volunteers at the fire brigade down there and other interested landholders. I believe that this issue warrants further investigation by the Assembly.
Last year, the Tharwa village plan was finalised. Again, that was a move that was welcomed by Tharwa residents. The plan contained many recommendations, all aimed at preserving the rural character of Tharwa village and its place in Canberra’s history.
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