❓ Dr. Honey questions the Minister for Water about planned water allocation cuts to horticulturalists in North Wanneroo and the progress of a promised new horticultural precinct. The Minister confirms the cuts are part of a broader plan to reduce reliance on the Gnangara mound, outlines support measures, and delays the cut until 2028.
AnsweredQoN 798Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WATER — NORTH WANNEROO
798. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Water:
I
refer to the government's plans to cut water allocations to
horticulturalists in the north Wanneroo area by 10 per cent and the
commitment to establish a new horticultural precinct near north Wanneroo.
(1) Does the
minister still intend to cut the water allocations to horticulturalists in
north Wanneroo by 10 per cent?
(2) What progress
has the minister made in establishing the new horticultural precinct near north
Wanneroo that was promised?
A member
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Just before I give
you the call, Minister for Water, I remind members that all interjections are
disorderly, but interjecting from out of your place that is not your proper
seat in the chamber is highly disorderly.
798. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Water:
I
refer to the government's plans to cut water allocations to
horticulturalists in the north Wanneroo area by 10 per cent and the
commitment to establish a new horticultural precinct near north Wanneroo.
(1) Does the
minister still intend to cut the water allocations to horticulturalists in
north Wanneroo by 10 per cent?
(2) What progress
has the minister made in establishing the new horticultural precinct near north
Wanneroo that was promised?
A member
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Just before I give
you the call, Minister for Water, I remind members that all interjections are
disorderly, but interjecting from out of your place that is not your proper
seat in the chamber is highly disorderly.
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Thank
you, Madam Speaker. In fact, I was probably goading the opposition because I was
saying just yesterday that it had been over 400 days since I had been asked a question
about water in this place—over a year since the opposition has asked
any questions of my portfolio. I have to get people from my own side to ask me
questions. It is the only time I am able to get up on my feet, so I guess I should
be grateful for that!
Regarding the areas of constraint
that the member is talking about, he would be aware that this relates to the Gnangara groundwater allocation plan ,
which was announced in June 2022. The scheme we are talking about has
been in place for over two years—that is, the plan we have to reduce
our reliance on Gnangara mound as a water
source for all of those affected areas. It is a massive change, and it is a massive
challenge for the state in terms of managing our water resources. We
have a hotter climate, less rainfall and less replenishment of our groundwater,
but more demand because of population growth. In regard to Gnangara mound,
which people would be aware is a huge resource for the broader metropolitan
area, particularly the northern suburbs and up to the Wanneroo area the member
is referring to, the plan is to reduce our take from that considerably. First
of all, the Water Corporation is taking the lion's share of the
reduction in take, if you like. Overall, there will be a 19 per cent reduction
in the amount of take from Gnangara mound, so it will be a significant
improvement and there will be less pressure on what we are taking from the
Gnangara mound. That will comprise, in part, a 27 per cent reduction in the
Water Corporation's take, so it is a massive change for the Water
Corporation. Of course, we are building the Alkimos desalination plant, and
that will replace much of the reduction in the Water Corporation's take
from Gnangara.
Everyone
else—commercial users, home bore users and local governments—is
also experiencing changes. Remember, we were asking home bore users to
go from using their sprinklers in summer from three days a week to two days. It has been a big adjustment,
but people have made that adjustment and we are grateful for it.
Commercial users and local governments are being asked to accept a 10 per cent
cut. We have put grants out to the local councils, so $4 million has been taken
up by the Cities of Joondalup, Perth, Stirling, Swan, Vincent and Wanneroo, and
the Towns of Cambridge and Bassendean. They have all been finalised and they
are benefiting from that. There are also some grants for water use efficiency
to commercial users.
All of this support is in place for
that 10 per cent cut that will come into place in 2028. There has been plenty
of advance notice and support. The Gnangara horticulture water use efficiency
grants, worth over half a million dollars, will be put out to commercial users
so they can be given some support to increase their
water efficiency. I understand that it is difficult, particularly for
commercial users who rely very much on our groundwater sources, but we
are in a drying climate. We have less rainfall and hotter temperatures, so
change is necessary.
you, Madam Speaker. In fact, I was probably goading the opposition because I was
saying just yesterday that it had been over 400 days since I had been asked a question
about water in this place—over a year since the opposition has asked
any questions of my portfolio. I have to get people from my own side to ask me
questions. It is the only time I am able to get up on my feet, so I guess I should
be grateful for that!
Regarding the areas of constraint
that the member is talking about, he would be aware that this relates to the Gnangara groundwater allocation plan ,
which was announced in June 2022. The scheme we are talking about has
been in place for over two years—that is, the plan we have to reduce
our reliance on Gnangara mound as a water
source for all of those affected areas. It is a massive change, and it is a massive
challenge for the state in terms of managing our water resources. We
have a hotter climate, less rainfall and less replenishment of our groundwater,
but more demand because of population growth. In regard to Gnangara mound,
which people would be aware is a huge resource for the broader metropolitan
area, particularly the northern suburbs and up to the Wanneroo area the member
is referring to, the plan is to reduce our take from that considerably. First
of all, the Water Corporation is taking the lion's share of the
reduction in take, if you like. Overall, there will be a 19 per cent reduction
in the amount of take from Gnangara mound, so it will be a significant
improvement and there will be less pressure on what we are taking from the
Gnangara mound. That will comprise, in part, a 27 per cent reduction in the
Water Corporation's take, so it is a massive change for the Water
Corporation. Of course, we are building the Alkimos desalination plant, and
that will replace much of the reduction in the Water Corporation's take
from Gnangara.
Everyone
else—commercial users, home bore users and local governments—is
also experiencing changes. Remember, we were asking home bore users to
go from using their sprinklers in summer from three days a week to two days. It has been a big adjustment,
but people have made that adjustment and we are grateful for it.
Commercial users and local governments are being asked to accept a 10 per cent
cut. We have put grants out to the local councils, so $4 million has been taken
up by the Cities of Joondalup, Perth, Stirling, Swan, Vincent and Wanneroo, and
the Towns of Cambridge and Bassendean. They have all been finalised and they
are benefiting from that. There are also some grants for water use efficiency
to commercial users.
All of this support is in place for
that 10 per cent cut that will come into place in 2028. There has been plenty
of advance notice and support. The Gnangara horticulture water use efficiency
grants, worth over half a million dollars, will be put out to commercial users
so they can be given some support to increase their
water efficiency. I understand that it is difficult, particularly for
commercial users who rely very much on our groundwater sources, but we
are in a drying climate. We have less rainfall and hotter temperatures, so
change is necessary.
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