Call for open debate on water crisis: The coalition of councils
requested an urgent meeting with the Minister for Utilities, Carl
Scully, before Parliament finished for the year on Thursday 8 December.
The Sydney Coastal Council Group executive officer, Geoff Withycombe,
said the coalition wanted an open debate on Sydney’s water crisis and a
chance to discuss the environmental impact of desalination compared
with recycling. “We really want the government to make a commitment to
look for further options for the community of Sydney,” he said.
Iemma already has 26-month timetable: The Premier, Morris Iemma,
has set a 26-month timetable to build a $1.3 billion desalination plant
at Kurnell, despite continued local protests from nearby residents. The
government’s own expert water panel opposed desalination in favour of
demand management and improved stormwater harvesting.
Members of the coalition: Coalition councils are: Auburn,
Bankstown, Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Botany,
Fairfield, Hawkesbury Holroyd, Hornsby, Hunters Hill, Ku-ring-gal, Lane
Cove, Leichhardt, Liverpool, Manly, Mosman, North Sydney, Parramatta,
Penrith, Pittwater, Randwick, Rockdale, Ryde, Sutherland, City of
Sydney, Warringah, Waverley, Willoughby and Woollahra.
The Sydney Morning Herald, 30/11/2005, p. 7