NATIONALS DO NOT SUPPORT WATER FACTORY 'DUMP'

Gippsland Province and Nationals MP, PETER HALL has welcomed his party's opposition to the proposed water factory to be built between Morwell and Traralgon.

Mr Hall said the term "water factory" was nothing but a cute name to disguise what is in fact a major new industrial and domestic waste water treatment plant.

"I accept that we have to deal with our own wastes, but this proposal will see 35 million litres of domestic and industrial waste, most of it pumped up from Melbourne, for us to treat and use.
And invariably in exchange we will see more of our pure clean Gippsland water directed to Melbourne," Mr Hall said.

According to Mr Hall the Government's Draft Sustainable Water Strategy for the Central Region provides for increased water transfers.

The central region includes Latrobe Valley, Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat. While Melbourne already draws water from the Thomson Dam, the water strategy plans for connections to link Blue Rock at Willow Grove and Tarago Reservoir near Neerim South to Cardinia Reservoir which also supplies Melbourne with water.

"It doesn't take much to figure out that this plan is all about shoring up Melbourne's water supplies, by making sure water can be easily pumped from the Blue Rock and Tarago," Mr Hall said.

At the same time the connection is also planned to bring waste water from the eastern treatment plant in Melbourne's South East to a Latrobe Valley "water factory", Mr Hall said.

"What I see occurring is Melbourne's muck being pumped up for us to use, while they take even more of our clean fresh water," Mr Hall said.

"I think country Victorians are getting sick of being dumped with Melbourne's waste. Contaminated soils are already being taken to Dutson Downs. Hattah/Nowingi is about to get Melbourne's toxic wastes, and now Mr Bracks and company want to send Melbourne sewage to Gippsland!" an exasperated Mr Hall said.

"I simply can not understand how Labor Government members, Brendan Jenkins and Ian Maxfield think this is a good deal for Gippsland."

"By all means I welcome financial support to better treat our own wastes and to cover the open sewer to Dutson Downs, but please Mr Bracks, do not blackmail us into accepting funding by requiring us to take all your muck and dispose of it too," Mr Hall concluded.

Media contact: Peter Hall (03) 5174 7066