[Greens-Media] PARNELL: Desal white elephant mothball a disgraceful embarrassment

[Parnell]

Media Release
Thursday 4th October 2012

Desal white elephant mothball a disgraceful embarrassment   


The announcement today that the $1.8 Billion Port Stanvac desalination plant will be mothballed, while Adelaide's dependence on the Murray is increased, is a devastating blow to South Australians.

"This is an absolute farce. Taxpayers have been forced to pay for a hyper expensive white elephant that will now slowly rust while we continue to drain the Murray," said Greens Parliamentary Leader Mark Parnell.

"It's hard to imagine a more irresponsible water policy. 

"Continuing to rely on a River that is massively over-allocated - despite the last couple of years of good rains - is incredibly short-sighted. What sort of message does it send to upstream states as the Plan for the Murray is finalised?  

"Yet from Day 1 the Greens have said we shouldn't build the Port Stanvac desal plant. Now the paint has barely dried and the expensive pipeline to send the desal water to the North is not even finished and the plant is already being mothballed.

"This is devastating news to SA taxpayers who have been forced to pay for a desal plant that will now sit idle. We will continue to pay through the nose for a water supply that we are now told we don't need.

"The Labor Government and the Liberal Opposition who first proposed this plant should both hang their heads in shame.

"Four years ago the Greens released a comprehensive water report that showed Adelaide could wean itself off the Murray without an expensive desalination plant.

"It is devastating that so much money has been poured down the desal drain, while better alternatives such as stormwater, demand management and recycling have been left high and dry, " he said.


For a copy of the Green's Sustainable Water Report, go to: http://www.markparnell.org.au/campaign.php?campaignn=25

For further comment contact Craig Wilkins on 0434 07 893