❓ The WA Minister for Water Resources contrasts federal funding for water projects under the current Howard government with the anticipated funding from a potential Rudd Labor government, highlighting significantly increased investment in WA water infrastructure under Labor.
AnsweredQoN 698Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WATER PROJECTS - FUNDING
While the federal government has provided some funding for water projects in Western Australia, can the minister contrast the funding that the state is likely to receive if this weekend’s federal election installs a Rudd Labor government? Mr J.C. KOBELKE
While the federal government has provided some funding for water projects in Western Australia, can the minister contrast the funding that the state is likely to receive if this weekend’s federal election installs a Rudd Labor government? Mr J.C. KOBELKE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for her question. The Premier led us to sign up to the National Water Initiative on the basis that we would get a reasonable, if not fair, share of commonwealth money. We are very much aware that under the Howard government we have received way below what would have been a fair share of that commonwealth money for water projects. It is certainly very welcome that an incoming Rudd Labor government will be willing to work with the state. In yesterday’s announcement we saw that another $5 million will go towards the second stage of the Kwinana waste recycling plant. That would help us to pursue that excellent recycling project on the election of a Rudd Labor government. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that a new project? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The second stage was a new project. Mr P.D. Omodei : Was that put up for consideration? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : We have put a whole lot of projects up to the Howard government. Howard goes around Australia saying how good the Harvey project is but does not give us the money. Kevin Rudd has indicated that, if elected, he will give us the money for Harvey. A total of $49 million for Harvey Water is on offer from an incoming Rudd Labor government. We have nothing from the Howard Liberal government. We have also been offered $2 million for Hyde Park lakes; $16 million for a managed aqua recharge; $4 million for urban waterways; $5 million for the Collie desalination plant; $6 million for the Gascoyne high pressure irrigation system; $20 million over four years for a desalination centre of excellence; and $15 million for state water plans. They are the things that an incoming Rudd Labor government has committed to working with the state government and delivering $100 million for projects, far more than we would get from the Howard government. The Liberal website shows a list of its most recent grants under water projects. The amount of $10.6 million allocated for WA - 6.1 per cent of the total amount allocated - is just over half of what we would expect on a population basis. It is quite small compared to our percentage of exports and our percentage of the Australian land mass. Clearly, we have not had a reasonable or fair offer from the Howard government. We know that a Rudd government is engaged; it has put WA on the map. Even today, after Kevin Rudd launched his “tackle the water crisis” plan in Adelaide, there are pages released about how he will work with Western Australia whereas as far as the Howard government is concerned, all it gets from this side of the Nullarbor Plain is money to back up its surplus. It puts nothing back to support us when it comes to water.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for her question. The Premier led us to sign up to the National Water Initiative on the basis that we would get a reasonable, if not fair, share of commonwealth money. We are very much aware that under the Howard government we have received way below what would have been a fair share of that commonwealth money for water projects. It is certainly very welcome that an incoming Rudd Labor government will be willing to work with the state. In yesterday’s announcement we saw that another $5 million will go towards the second stage of the Kwinana waste recycling plant. That would help us to pursue that excellent recycling project on the election of a Rudd Labor government. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that a new project? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The second stage was a new project. Mr P.D. Omodei : Was that put up for consideration? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : We have put a whole lot of projects up to the Howard government. Howard goes around Australia saying how good the Harvey project is but does not give us the money. Kevin Rudd has indicated that, if elected, he will give us the money for Harvey. A total of $49 million for Harvey Water is on offer from an incoming Rudd Labor government. We have nothing from the Howard Liberal government. We have also been offered $2 million for Hyde Park lakes; $16 million for a managed aqua recharge; $4 million for urban waterways; $5 million for the Collie desalination plant; $6 million for the Gascoyne high pressure irrigation system; $20 million over four years for a desalination centre of excellence; and $15 million for state water plans. They are the things that an incoming Rudd Labor government has committed to working with the state government and delivering $100 million for projects, far more than we would get from the Howard government. The Liberal website shows a list of its most recent grants under water projects. The amount of $10.6 million allocated for WA - 6.1 per cent of the total amount allocated - is just over half of what we would expect on a population basis. It is quite small compared to our percentage of exports and our percentage of the Australian land mass. Clearly, we have not had a reasonable or fair offer from the Howard government. We know that a Rudd government is engaged; it has put WA on the map. Even today, after Kevin Rudd launched his “tackle the water crisis” plan in Adelaide, there are pages released about how he will work with Western Australia whereas as far as the Howard government is concerned, all it gets from this side of the Nullarbor Plain is money to back up its surplus. It puts nothing back to support us when it comes to water.
I thank the member for her question. The Premier led us to sign up to the National Water Initiative on the basis that we would get a reasonable, if not fair, share of commonwealth money. We are very much aware that under the Howard government we have received way below what would have been a fair share of that commonwealth money for water projects. It is certainly very welcome that an incoming Rudd Labor government will be willing to work with the state. In yesterday’s announcement we saw that another $5 million will go towards the second stage of the Kwinana waste recycling plant. That would help us to pursue that excellent recycling project on the election of a Rudd Labor government. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that a new project? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The second stage was a new project. Mr P.D. Omodei : Was that put up for consideration? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : We have put a whole lot of projects up to the Howard government. Howard goes around Australia saying how good the Harvey project is but does not give us the money. Kevin Rudd has indicated that, if elected, he will give us the money for Harvey. A total of $49 million for Harvey Water is on offer from an incoming Rudd Labor government. We have nothing from the Howard Liberal government. We have also been offered $2 million for Hyde Park lakes; $16 million for a managed aqua recharge; $4 million for urban waterways; $5 million for the Collie desalination plant; $6 million for the Gascoyne high pressure irrigation system; $20 million over four years for a desalination centre of excellence; and $15 million for state water plans. They are the things that an incoming Rudd Labor government has committed to working with the state government and delivering $100 million for projects, far more than we would get from the Howard government. The Liberal website shows a list of its most recent grants under water projects. The amount of $10.6 million allocated for WA - 6.1 per cent of the total amount allocated - is just over half of what we would expect on a population basis. It is quite small compared to our percentage of exports and our percentage of the Australian land mass. Clearly, we have not had a reasonable or fair offer from the Howard government. We know that a Rudd government is engaged; it has put WA on the map. Even today, after Kevin Rudd launched his “tackle the water crisis” plan in Adelaide, there are pages released about how he will work with Western Australia whereas as far as the Howard government is concerned, all it gets from this side of the Nullarbor Plain is money to back up its surplus. It puts nothing back to support us when it comes to water.
Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that a new project? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The second stage was a new project. Mr P.D. Omodei : Was that put up for consideration? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : We have put a whole lot of projects up to the Howard government. Howard goes around Australia saying how good the Harvey project is but does not give us the money. Kevin Rudd has indicated that, if elected, he will give us the money for Harvey. A total of $49 million for Harvey Water is on offer from an incoming Rudd Labor government. We have nothing from the Howard Liberal government. We have also been offered $2 million for Hyde Park lakes; $16 million for a managed aqua recharge; $4 million for urban waterways; $5 million for the Collie desalination plant; $6 million for the Gascoyne high pressure irrigation system; $20 million over four years for a desalination centre of excellence; and $15 million for state water plans. They are the things that an incoming Rudd Labor government has committed to working with the state government and delivering $100 million for projects, far more than we would get from the Howard government. The Liberal website shows a list of its most recent grants under water projects. The amount of $10.6 million allocated for WA - 6.1 per cent of the total amount allocated - is just over half of what we would expect on a population basis. It is quite small compared to our percentage of exports and our percentage of the Australian land mass. Clearly, we have not had a reasonable or fair offer from the Howard government. We know that a Rudd government is engaged; it has put WA on the map. Even today, after Kevin Rudd launched his “tackle the water crisis” plan in Adelaide, there are pages released about how he will work with Western Australia whereas as far as the Howard government is concerned, all it gets from this side of the Nullarbor Plain is money to back up its surplus. It puts nothing back to support us when it comes to water.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The second stage was a new project. Mr P.D. Omodei : Was that put up for consideration? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : We have put a whole lot of projects up to the Howard government. Howard goes around Australia saying how good the Harvey project is but does not give us the money. Kevin Rudd has indicated that, if elected, he will give us the money for Harvey. A total of $49 million for Harvey Water is on offer from an incoming Rudd Labor government. We have nothing from the Howard Liberal government. We have also been offered $2 million for Hyde Park lakes; $16 million for a managed aqua recharge; $4 million for urban waterways; $5 million for the Collie desalination plant; $6 million for the Gascoyne high pressure irrigation system; $20 million over four years for a desalination centre of excellence; and $15 million for state water plans. They are the things that an incoming Rudd Labor government has committed to working with the state government and delivering $100 million for projects, far more than we would get from the Howard government. The Liberal website shows a list of its most recent grants under water projects. The amount of $10.6 million allocated for WA - 6.1 per cent of the total amount allocated - is just over half of what we would expect on a population basis. It is quite small compared to our percentage of exports and our percentage of the Australian land mass. Clearly, we have not had a reasonable or fair offer from the Howard government. We know that a Rudd government is engaged; it has put WA on the map. Even today, after Kevin Rudd launched his “tackle the water crisis” plan in Adelaide, there are pages released about how he will work with Western Australia whereas as far as the Howard government is concerned, all it gets from this side of the Nullarbor Plain is money to back up its surplus. It puts nothing back to support us when it comes to water.
Mr P.D. Omodei : Was that put up for consideration? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : We have put a whole lot of projects up to the Howard government. Howard goes around Australia saying how good the Harvey project is but does not give us the money. Kevin Rudd has indicated that, if elected, he will give us the money for Harvey. A total of $49 million for Harvey Water is on offer from an incoming Rudd Labor government. We have nothing from the Howard Liberal government. We have also been offered $2 million for Hyde Park lakes; $16 million for a managed aqua recharge; $4 million for urban waterways; $5 million for the Collie desalination plant; $6 million for the Gascoyne high pressure irrigation system; $20 million over four years for a desalination centre of excellence; and $15 million for state water plans. They are the things that an incoming Rudd Labor government has committed to working with the state government and delivering $100 million for projects, far more than we would get from the Howard government. The Liberal website shows a list of its most recent grants under water projects. The amount of $10.6 million allocated for WA - 6.1 per cent of the total amount allocated - is just over half of what we would expect on a population basis. It is quite small compared to our percentage of exports and our percentage of the Australian land mass. Clearly, we have not had a reasonable or fair offer from the Howard government. We know that a Rudd government is engaged; it has put WA on the map. Even today, after Kevin Rudd launched his “tackle the water crisis” plan in Adelaide, there are pages released about how he will work with Western Australia whereas as far as the Howard government is concerned, all it gets from this side of the Nullarbor Plain is money to back up its surplus. It puts nothing back to support us when it comes to water.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : We have put a whole lot of projects up to the Howard government. Howard goes around Australia saying how good the Harvey project is but does not give us the money. Kevin Rudd has indicated that, if elected, he will give us the money for Harvey. A total of $49 million for Harvey Water is on offer from an incoming Rudd Labor government. We have nothing from the Howard Liberal government. We have also been offered $2 million for Hyde Park lakes; $16 million for a managed aqua recharge; $4 million for urban waterways; $5 million for the Collie desalination plant; $6 million for the Gascoyne high pressure irrigation system; $20 million over four years for a desalination centre of excellence; and $15 million for state water plans. They are the things that an incoming Rudd Labor government has committed to working with the state government and delivering $100 million for projects, far more than we would get from the Howard government. The Liberal website shows a list of its most recent grants under water projects. The amount of $10.6 million allocated for WA - 6.1 per cent of the total amount allocated - is just over half of what we would expect on a population basis. It is quite small compared to our percentage of exports and our percentage of the Australian land mass. Clearly, we have not had a reasonable or fair offer from the Howard government. We know that a Rudd government is engaged; it has put WA on the map. Even today, after Kevin Rudd launched his “tackle the water crisis” plan in Adelaide, there are pages released about how he will work with Western Australia whereas as far as the Howard government is concerned, all it gets from this side of the Nullarbor Plain is money to back up its surplus. It puts nothing back to support us when it comes to water.
The Liberal website shows a list of its most recent grants under water projects. The amount of $10.6 million allocated for WA - 6.1 per cent of the total amount allocated - is just over half of what we would expect on a population basis. It is quite small compared to our percentage of exports and our percentage of the Australian land mass. Clearly, we have not had a reasonable or fair offer from the Howard government. We know that a Rudd government is engaged; it has put WA on the map. Even today, after Kevin Rudd launched his “tackle the water crisis” plan in Adelaide, there are pages released about how he will work with Western Australia whereas as far as the Howard government is concerned, all it gets from this side of the Nullarbor Plain is money to back up its surplus. It puts nothing back to support us when it comes to water.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for her question. The Premier led us to sign up to the National Water Initiative on the basis that we would get a reasonable, if not fair, share of commonwealth money. We are very much aware that under the Howard government we have received way below what would have been a fair share of that commonwealth money for water projects. It is certainly very welcome that an incoming Rudd Labor government will be willing to work with the state. In yesterday’s announcement we saw that another $5 million will go towards the second stage of the Kwinana waste recycling plant. That would help us to pursue that excellent recycling project on the election of a Rudd Labor government. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that a new project? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The second stage was a new project. Mr P.D. Omodei : Was that put up for consideration? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : We have put a whole lot of projects up to the Howard government. Howard goes around Australia saying how good the Harvey project is but does not give us the money. Kevin Rudd has indicated that, if elected, he will give us the money for Harvey. A total of $49 million for Harvey Water is on offer from an incoming Rudd Labor government. We have nothing from the Howard Liberal government. We have also been offered $2 million for Hyde Park lakes; $16 million for a managed aqua recharge; $4 million for urban waterways; $5 million for the Collie desalination plant; $6 million for the Gascoyne high pressure irrigation system; $20 million over four years for a desalination centre of excellence; and $15 million for state water plans. They are the things that an incoming Rudd Labor government has committed to working with the state government and delivering $100 million for projects, far more than we would get from the Howard government. The Liberal website shows a list of its most recent grants under water projects. The amount of $10.6 million allocated for WA - 6.1 per cent of the total amount allocated - is just over half of what we would expect on a population basis. It is quite small compared to our percentage of exports and our percentage of the Australian land mass. Clearly, we have not had a reasonable or fair offer from the Howard government. We know that a Rudd government is engaged; it has put WA on the map. Even today, after Kevin Rudd launched his “tackle the water crisis” plan in Adelaide, there are pages released about how he will work with Western Australia whereas as far as the Howard government is concerned, all it gets from this side of the Nullarbor Plain is money to back up its surplus. It puts nothing back to support us when it comes to water.
I thank the member for her question. The Premier led us to sign up to the National Water Initiative on the basis that we would get a reasonable, if not fair, share of commonwealth money. We are very much aware that under the Howard government we have received way below what would have been a fair share of that commonwealth money for water projects. It is certainly very welcome that an incoming Rudd Labor government will be willing to work with the state. In yesterday’s announcement we saw that another $5 million will go towards the second stage of the Kwinana waste recycling plant. That would help us to pursue that excellent recycling project on the election of a Rudd Labor government. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that a new project? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The second stage was a new project. Mr P.D. Omodei : Was that put up for consideration? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : We have put a whole lot of projects up to the Howard government. Howard goes around Australia saying how good the Harvey project is but does not give us the money. Kevin Rudd has indicated that, if elected, he will give us the money for Harvey. A total of $49 million for Harvey Water is on offer from an incoming Rudd Labor government. We have nothing from the Howard Liberal government. We have also been offered $2 million for Hyde Park lakes; $16 million for a managed aqua recharge; $4 million for urban waterways; $5 million for the Collie desalination plant; $6 million for the Gascoyne high pressure irrigation system; $20 million over four years for a desalination centre of excellence; and $15 million for state water plans. They are the things that an incoming Rudd Labor government has committed to working with the state government and delivering $100 million for projects, far more than we would get from the Howard government. The Liberal website shows a list of its most recent grants under water projects. The amount of $10.6 million allocated for WA - 6.1 per cent of the total amount allocated - is just over half of what we would expect on a population basis. It is quite small compared to our percentage of exports and our percentage of the Australian land mass. Clearly, we have not had a reasonable or fair offer from the Howard government. We know that a Rudd government is engaged; it has put WA on the map. Even today, after Kevin Rudd launched his “tackle the water crisis” plan in Adelaide, there are pages released about how he will work with Western Australia whereas as far as the Howard government is concerned, all it gets from this side of the Nullarbor Plain is money to back up its surplus. It puts nothing back to support us when it comes to water.
Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that a new project? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The second stage was a new project. Mr P.D. Omodei : Was that put up for consideration? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : We have put a whole lot of projects up to the Howard government. Howard goes around Australia saying how good the Harvey project is but does not give us the money. Kevin Rudd has indicated that, if elected, he will give us the money for Harvey. A total of $49 million for Harvey Water is on offer from an incoming Rudd Labor government. We have nothing from the Howard Liberal government. We have also been offered $2 million for Hyde Park lakes; $16 million for a managed aqua recharge; $4 million for urban waterways; $5 million for the Collie desalination plant; $6 million for the Gascoyne high pressure irrigation system; $20 million over four years for a desalination centre of excellence; and $15 million for state water plans. They are the things that an incoming Rudd Labor government has committed to working with the state government and delivering $100 million for projects, far more than we would get from the Howard government. The Liberal website shows a list of its most recent grants under water projects. The amount of $10.6 million allocated for WA - 6.1 per cent of the total amount allocated - is just over half of what we would expect on a population basis. It is quite small compared to our percentage of exports and our percentage of the Australian land mass. Clearly, we have not had a reasonable or fair offer from the Howard government. We know that a Rudd government is engaged; it has put WA on the map. Even today, after Kevin Rudd launched his “tackle the water crisis” plan in Adelaide, there are pages released about how he will work with Western Australia whereas as far as the Howard government is concerned, all it gets from this side of the Nullarbor Plain is money to back up its surplus. It puts nothing back to support us when it comes to water.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The second stage was a new project. Mr P.D. Omodei : Was that put up for consideration? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : We have put a whole lot of projects up to the Howard government. Howard goes around Australia saying how good the Harvey project is but does not give us the money. Kevin Rudd has indicated that, if elected, he will give us the money for Harvey. A total of $49 million for Harvey Water is on offer from an incoming Rudd Labor government. We have nothing from the Howard Liberal government. We have also been offered $2 million for Hyde Park lakes; $16 million for a managed aqua recharge; $4 million for urban waterways; $5 million for the Collie desalination plant; $6 million for the Gascoyne high pressure irrigation system; $20 million over four years for a desalination centre of excellence; and $15 million for state water plans. They are the things that an incoming Rudd Labor government has committed to working with the state government and delivering $100 million for projects, far more than we would get from the Howard government. The Liberal website shows a list of its most recent grants under water projects. The amount of $10.6 million allocated for WA - 6.1 per cent of the total amount allocated - is just over half of what we would expect on a population basis. It is quite small compared to our percentage of exports and our percentage of the Australian land mass. Clearly, we have not had a reasonable or fair offer from the Howard government. We know that a Rudd government is engaged; it has put WA on the map. Even today, after Kevin Rudd launched his “tackle the water crisis” plan in Adelaide, there are pages released about how he will work with Western Australia whereas as far as the Howard government is concerned, all it gets from this side of the Nullarbor Plain is money to back up its surplus. It puts nothing back to support us when it comes to water.
Mr P.D. Omodei : Was that put up for consideration? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : We have put a whole lot of projects up to the Howard government. Howard goes around Australia saying how good the Harvey project is but does not give us the money. Kevin Rudd has indicated that, if elected, he will give us the money for Harvey. A total of $49 million for Harvey Water is on offer from an incoming Rudd Labor government. We have nothing from the Howard Liberal government. We have also been offered $2 million for Hyde Park lakes; $16 million for a managed aqua recharge; $4 million for urban waterways; $5 million for the Collie desalination plant; $6 million for the Gascoyne high pressure irrigation system; $20 million over four years for a desalination centre of excellence; and $15 million for state water plans. They are the things that an incoming Rudd Labor government has committed to working with the state government and delivering $100 million for projects, far more than we would get from the Howard government. The Liberal website shows a list of its most recent grants under water projects. The amount of $10.6 million allocated for WA - 6.1 per cent of the total amount allocated - is just over half of what we would expect on a population basis. It is quite small compared to our percentage of exports and our percentage of the Australian land mass. Clearly, we have not had a reasonable or fair offer from the Howard government. We know that a Rudd government is engaged; it has put WA on the map. Even today, after Kevin Rudd launched his “tackle the water crisis” plan in Adelaide, there are pages released about how he will work with Western Australia whereas as far as the Howard government is concerned, all it gets from this side of the Nullarbor Plain is money to back up its surplus. It puts nothing back to support us when it comes to water.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : We have put a whole lot of projects up to the Howard government. Howard goes around Australia saying how good the Harvey project is but does not give us the money. Kevin Rudd has indicated that, if elected, he will give us the money for Harvey. A total of $49 million for Harvey Water is on offer from an incoming Rudd Labor government. We have nothing from the Howard Liberal government. We have also been offered $2 million for Hyde Park lakes; $16 million for a managed aqua recharge; $4 million for urban waterways; $5 million for the Collie desalination plant; $6 million for the Gascoyne high pressure irrigation system; $20 million over four years for a desalination centre of excellence; and $15 million for state water plans. They are the things that an incoming Rudd Labor government has committed to working with the state government and delivering $100 million for projects, far more than we would get from the Howard government. The Liberal website shows a list of its most recent grants under water projects. The amount of $10.6 million allocated for WA - 6.1 per cent of the total amount allocated - is just over half of what we would expect on a population basis. It is quite small compared to our percentage of exports and our percentage of the Australian land mass. Clearly, we have not had a reasonable or fair offer from the Howard government. We know that a Rudd government is engaged; it has put WA on the map. Even today, after Kevin Rudd launched his “tackle the water crisis” plan in Adelaide, there are pages released about how he will work with Western Australia whereas as far as the Howard government is concerned, all it gets from this side of the Nullarbor Plain is money to back up its surplus. It puts nothing back to support us when it comes to water.
The Liberal website shows a list of its most recent grants under water projects. The amount of $10.6 million allocated for WA - 6.1 per cent of the total amount allocated - is just over half of what we would expect on a population basis. It is quite small compared to our percentage of exports and our percentage of the Australian land mass. Clearly, we have not had a reasonable or fair offer from the Howard government. We know that a Rudd government is engaged; it has put WA on the map. Even today, after Kevin Rudd launched his “tackle the water crisis” plan in Adelaide, there are pages released about how he will work with Western Australia whereas as far as the Howard government is concerned, all it gets from this side of the Nullarbor Plain is money to back up its surplus. It puts nothing back to support us when it comes to water.
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