❓ The Minister for Water outlines the Cook Labor government's $350 million program to improve water services in remote Aboriginal communities, highlighting upgrades and partnerships.
AnsweredQoN 709Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES —
WATER SERVICES
709. Ms D.G. D'ANNA to the Minister for Water:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
commitment to delivering safe and reliable water services to remote Aboriginal
communities.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this government's $350 million remote
communities program will deliver significant improvements across Western Australia?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house what other programs are being delivered by this
government to improve essential services in remote WA?
WATER SERVICES
709. Ms D.G. D'ANNA to the Minister for Water:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
commitment to delivering safe and reliable water services to remote Aboriginal
communities.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this government's $350 million remote
communities program will deliver significant improvements across Western Australia?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house what other programs are being delivered by this
government to improve essential services in remote WA?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
am very proud to talk about this important project. For many of us, turning on
the tap to access safe, reliable drinking
water or having a flushing toilet and knowing that the wastewater will be dealt
with safely and to Australian standards is something that we take for
granted, but the reality for many people in Aboriginal
communities across the state is that that is not the case. As of July this year the Water Corporation has taken over responsibility from the Department of Communities for water
services for 141 Aboriginal communities, so these will now be dealt with under
the Aboriginal community water services program.
Raising the standard of water
services in Aboriginal communities is a priority for the Cook government, so we
are getting on to do this work. You could say that we are flushed with
enthusiasm! Working in partnership with
local communities, which is an important element of this work, the Water
Corporation will deliver a new 10-year program to manage and
progressively upgrade water and wastewater infrastructure in Aboriginal
communities across the state. The program will ensure that residents have
access to reliable drinking water that meets Australian drinking water
guidelines and wastewater services that meet or exceed relevant standards. This
is something the government is committed to doing, and it is an important
measure under Closing the Gap.
We know we get better results when
we work in partnership with Aboriginal people, so this approach is crucial to the work that the Water Corporation is
doing to deliver the infrastructure upgrades that Aboriginal communities need. As I said, the upgrades will take
place over 10 years, and they are being prioritised in regard to water
reliability and water safety, and on the basis of risk. There are 141
communities spread across the Kimberley. The member for Kimberley's
electorate has 101 communities affected; the Pilbara
and the midwest have 26 communities affected; and the goldfields and central
wheatbelt have 14 communities that will be included in this program.
Just recently, on 28 September,
I visited Mowanjum, just outside of Derby, as many members would know, where
the Water Corporation has just completed its works to upgrade the community's
wastewater treatment plant. This is the first major upgrade to be completed
since the Water Corporation took over the management of water services. It is
an $8.3 million investment, and an important milestone for this overall program.
As a result of this work this treatment plant will become WA's first
licensed wastewater treatment plant in an
Aboriginal community. The project was delivered by an Aboriginal-owned
contractor , Kimberley Civil and Drainage, and involved the construction
of two new wastewater treatment ponds and
re-lining the existing treatment ponds. Works also included putting up a solid
fence around the treatment plant. This was an important upgrade because,
as many members of the community told us, dogs would often go into the ponds to
cool off during hot weather, and members can imagine that the results were as
unpleasant as they were unsanitary. In partnership with the community, the
Water Corporation is also set to complete further works, with another $2 million
being invested into a new wastewater pump station, pipe renewals and,
importantly, greening an area in the centre of town for the community to enjoy.
Through the Aboriginal community
water services program we are working to ensure that by 2033, 12 000 people
living in these communities will have water services that meet or exceed
relevant standards. I will leave the last word to Clive Aiken from Kimberley
Civil and Drainage who, as I mentioned, did the work. He told me on the day that he was very proud of the works
completed. He said, ''It is a proud moment for us as well as the
community.'' I look forward to more of these projects flowing through to
more Aboriginal communities.
The
SPEAKER : The member for Landsdale
would have been proud of you! The member for Roe with the last question.
am very proud to talk about this important project. For many of us, turning on
the tap to access safe, reliable drinking
water or having a flushing toilet and knowing that the wastewater will be dealt
with safely and to Australian standards is something that we take for
granted, but the reality for many people in Aboriginal
communities across the state is that that is not the case. As of July this year the Water Corporation has taken over responsibility from the Department of Communities for water
services for 141 Aboriginal communities, so these will now be dealt with under
the Aboriginal community water services program.
Raising the standard of water
services in Aboriginal communities is a priority for the Cook government, so we
are getting on to do this work. You could say that we are flushed with
enthusiasm! Working in partnership with
local communities, which is an important element of this work, the Water
Corporation will deliver a new 10-year program to manage and
progressively upgrade water and wastewater infrastructure in Aboriginal
communities across the state. The program will ensure that residents have
access to reliable drinking water that meets Australian drinking water
guidelines and wastewater services that meet or exceed relevant standards. This
is something the government is committed to doing, and it is an important
measure under Closing the Gap.
We know we get better results when
we work in partnership with Aboriginal people, so this approach is crucial to the work that the Water Corporation is
doing to deliver the infrastructure upgrades that Aboriginal communities need. As I said, the upgrades will take
place over 10 years, and they are being prioritised in regard to water
reliability and water safety, and on the basis of risk. There are 141
communities spread across the Kimberley. The member for Kimberley's
electorate has 101 communities affected; the Pilbara
and the midwest have 26 communities affected; and the goldfields and central
wheatbelt have 14 communities that will be included in this program.
Just recently, on 28 September,
I visited Mowanjum, just outside of Derby, as many members would know, where
the Water Corporation has just completed its works to upgrade the community's
wastewater treatment plant. This is the first major upgrade to be completed
since the Water Corporation took over the management of water services. It is
an $8.3 million investment, and an important milestone for this overall program.
As a result of this work this treatment plant will become WA's first
licensed wastewater treatment plant in an
Aboriginal community. The project was delivered by an Aboriginal-owned
contractor , Kimberley Civil and Drainage, and involved the construction
of two new wastewater treatment ponds and
re-lining the existing treatment ponds. Works also included putting up a solid
fence around the treatment plant. This was an important upgrade because,
as many members of the community told us, dogs would often go into the ponds to
cool off during hot weather, and members can imagine that the results were as
unpleasant as they were unsanitary. In partnership with the community, the
Water Corporation is also set to complete further works, with another $2 million
being invested into a new wastewater pump station, pipe renewals and,
importantly, greening an area in the centre of town for the community to enjoy.
Through the Aboriginal community
water services program we are working to ensure that by 2033, 12 000 people
living in these communities will have water services that meet or exceed
relevant standards. I will leave the last word to Clive Aiken from Kimberley
Civil and Drainage who, as I mentioned, did the work. He told me on the day that he was very proud of the works
completed. He said, ''It is a proud moment for us as well as the
community.'' I look forward to more of these projects flowing through to
more Aboriginal communities.
The
SPEAKER : The member for Landsdale
would have been proud of you! The member for Roe with the last question.
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