❓ Mr Leary questions the Minister for Water about the Albany desalination plant project, specifically regarding the site selection timeline and project completion. The Minister responds by highlighting community engagement and criticizes Leary's potential politicization of the issue.
AnsweredQoN 560Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
New water sources—Albany
560. Mr Scott Leary to
the Minister for Water:
I refer to the
government's commitment to build a seawater desalination plant in Albany by
2030 in support of population growth and new housing developments in the region.
I also note the government's backflip on the proposed King George Sound
location following strong opposition from the local community.
(1) Given that the Water Corporation named Nanarup
and Sandpatch as alternative locations in July, with no public updates since,
when will the decision on the preferred site be made, and will it be before the
end of this year?
(2) Is the project still on track for completion
by 2030?
560. Mr Scott Leary to
the Minister for Water:
I refer to the
government's commitment to build a seawater desalination plant in Albany by
2030 in support of population growth and new housing developments in the region.
I also note the government's backflip on the proposed King George Sound
location following strong opposition from the local community.
(1) Given that the Water Corporation named Nanarup
and Sandpatch as alternative locations in July, with no public updates since,
when will the decision on the preferred site be made, and will it be before the
end of this year?
(2) Is the project still on track for completion
by 2030?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for the
question. I note that last week we had a personal briefing and we discussed
these issues, so I am surprised that the question has come up here when we went
through the Albany proposal in detail.
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, once again
your interjections are out of order. I am going to call you for the first time.
Mr Mark Folkard: Hear, hear!
The Speaker: Member for Mindarie, that was unnecessary.
I am going to call you for the first time as well.
Mr Don Punch: In fact, I invited the member for Albany
to join the community committee that is dealing with this issue in Albany as an
observer so that he could see it firsthand and be involved, on the basis that
he would not turn it into a political storm, because that is the last thing we
need.
Several members
interjected.
Mr Don Punch: I ask for the Speaker's assistance; I
cannot hear myself, Speaker.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition, let the
minister respond.
Mr Don Punch: I invited the member to join as an
observer because this is an important issue. We are having grave difficulty
with drying climates, climate change and the future of our water sourcing, and
we need to have conversations with the community on how to address those issues
with a place-based approach. That is why I invited the member to join the
committee. The committee is receiving all the information and considering the
options, including groundwater and desalination options. It is confronting the
reality of how we source water for the future in a drying climate. The
government is committed to a solution by 2030 because we do not want to see
Albany's future constrained by water sourcing issues. That is why we are acting
early. That is why we got in early. The fact is that the community did not want
to put a desal plant in King George Sound. The government listened to the
community, so I do not know why the member is complaining about backflips. We
listened to the community. We have engaged the community in a process of
discussion to arrive at an outcome. If the member wants to make a political
football of that, he should not join the committee, because I want the
committee to be able to consider these matters respectfully and come to a
conclusion.
question. I note that last week we had a personal briefing and we discussed
these issues, so I am surprised that the question has come up here when we went
through the Albany proposal in detail.
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, once again
your interjections are out of order. I am going to call you for the first time.
Mr Mark Folkard: Hear, hear!
The Speaker: Member for Mindarie, that was unnecessary.
I am going to call you for the first time as well.
Mr Don Punch: In fact, I invited the member for Albany
to join the community committee that is dealing with this issue in Albany as an
observer so that he could see it firsthand and be involved, on the basis that
he would not turn it into a political storm, because that is the last thing we
need.
Several members
interjected.
Mr Don Punch: I ask for the Speaker's assistance; I
cannot hear myself, Speaker.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition, let the
minister respond.
Mr Don Punch: I invited the member to join as an
observer because this is an important issue. We are having grave difficulty
with drying climates, climate change and the future of our water sourcing, and
we need to have conversations with the community on how to address those issues
with a place-based approach. That is why I invited the member to join the
committee. The committee is receiving all the information and considering the
options, including groundwater and desalination options. It is confronting the
reality of how we source water for the future in a drying climate. The
government is committed to a solution by 2030 because we do not want to see
Albany's future constrained by water sourcing issues. That is why we are acting
early. That is why we got in early. The fact is that the community did not want
to put a desal plant in King George Sound. The government listened to the
community, so I do not know why the member is complaining about backflips. We
listened to the community. We have engaged the community in a process of
discussion to arrive at an outcome. If the member wants to make a political
football of that, he should not join the committee, because I want the
committee to be able to consider these matters respectfully and come to a
conclusion.
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