Water Security

The Hon. WES FANG (15:04:44):

I move:

(1)That this House notes that the Commonwealth and New South Wales Labor Governments have cancelled projects designed to ensure water security for the families and farmers of regional New South Wales, including the raising of the Wyangala Dam wall and the construction of the Dungowan Dam.

(2)That this House:

(a)condemns this reckless disregard for the welfare of people in regional New South Wales and for the viability of agriculture in regional New South Wales; and

(b)calls on the New South Wales Government to take all steps necessary to ensure water security for the families and farmers of regional New South Wales, including those in Tamworth and Forbes and the surrounding regions.

People of rural and regional New South Wales have great concerns that the Government has no consideration for the issues that exist in our communities west of the Great Dividing Range. We know that because we have seen what members opposite have done to the former Government's water security plans. We must realise that in this country we have flooding rains.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT (The Hon. Rod Roberts):

Order! I am having trouble hearing the member. I understand conversations need to take place, but I ask members to keep the volume down. The Hon. Wes Fang has the call.

The Hon. WES FANG:

Members opposite do not want to hear what rural and regional communities are concerned about, and that is water security.

The Hon. Greg Donnelly:

Point of order—

The Hon. WES FANG:

Is there a point of order? Are you going to shut down the debate?

The Hon. Greg Donnelly:

We have a new MLC from Dubbo, west of the divide. Don't you know where Dubbo is?

The Hon. WES FANG:

Where is your MLC from Dubbo?

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT (The Hon. Rod Roberts):

Order! I remind the Hon. Wes Fang of the limited time he has remaining. I ask members to refrain from interjecting, including the Hon. Greg Donnelly. The Hon. Wes Fang has the call.

The Hon. WES FANG:

I apologise, but this is an issue that I am very passionate about. The communities that I represent in this place want to know that we have their back when it comes to water security, droughts and flooding rain. We must ensure that we have appropriate and stable water supplies for communities in the New England and that we have the ability to manage floods across the State.

Ms Cate Faehrmann:

How has that gone for you?

The Hon. WES FANG:

Perhaps Ms Cate Faehrmann likes to treat these topics as a bit of a joke, but members on this side of the House look at the issues and formulate a plan. That is what we did for Dungowan Dam and Wyangala Dam. The Labor Federal and State governments have cancelled those projects. The communities that are affected want to know what the Government will do to ensure that they have a secure water supply and how it will manage flooding events. Raising the dam walls would have ensured that we had the capacity to manage inflows and that the water could be discharged in a stable way. We would have ensured that there was enough water for irrigation and drinking—all the things that we need dams for. But the Government members have disregarded all that and have ensured that the communities experience great angst about their future water supplies and flood management. We asked questions about this, but we received no answers about how the Government will manage the situation. What they have done—

The Hon. Penny Sharpe:

Better than you.

The Hon. WES FANG:

I acknowledge the interjection of the Leader of the Government, who thinks she is managing it better than us. If she thinks that cancelling projects that were going to assist the supply of water to New England is handling it better than we did, then we will wear that with a badge of honour. Those words will come back to haunt her if she thinks that cancelling projects and infrastructure related to water in rural and regional communities is a better way of handling it than we did. I call on members opposite to tell those communities what they are going to do to ensure the water supply for New England and how they are going to manage flood events into the future with those projects being cancelled. I know that the communities that I represent are waiting for those answers.

The Hon. ROSE JACKSON (Minister for Water, Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Youth, and Minister for the North Coast) (15:10:12):

The Government will be opposing the motion because it is nonsense and factually inaccurate. On the Dungowan Dam, we have been absolutely clear with the Tamworth community that the project that the previous Government was pursuing was never an answer to their genuine water security concerns. For 12 years the Tamworth community expressed legitimate anxiety about their water security in the context of their thriving industrial base and their growing population. Let us remember the original sin of Chaffey Dam. The water Minister, Duncan Gay, stood up in Parliament and said, "Increasing the size of the Chaffey Dam is going to deliver on Tamworth's water security." The size was increased, but zero litres of additional water was allocated to Tamworth's town drinking water.

Then there is Dungowan Dam, a project that would take billions of dollars and 10 years to build and fill. We are entering the drying period right now. Members opposite were never going to deliver the Dungowan Dam. We have delivered certainty to the Tamworth community and we will deliver them the Namoi Regional Water Strategy, which should have been delivered years ago. It is late because members opposite could not get their heads around the actual work that needed to be done to deliver Tamworth's water security.

We are going to do advanced water treatment, water purification for industry, and pipeline upgrades. In fact, we will be handing over stage one of the Dungowan pipeline to the Tamworth Regional Council imminently. We will be doing off-farm storage and a range of infrastructure and non-infrastructure options. Those options are set out clearly in the Namoi Regional Water Strategy, which I will deliver in a matter of weeks and which will chart a clear path forward for the Tamworth community. It is not complicated.

The Tamworth community were sick and tired of having their time and money wasted on projects that were never going to happen. We are delivering real solutions to their real problems. I spoke to the Mayor of Tamworth, Russell Webb, yesterday. Whilst he was disappointed that the dam was not proceeding, he was equally as disappointed at the time that has been wasted on this project. He was enthusiastic to meet with me next week to discuss a practical path forward. That is what we are doing for the Tamworth community.

The Wyangala Dam project is in final business case assessment with Infrastructure NSW and I await that advice. But, to be very clear, the idea that the Wyangala Dam was ever a flood mitigation dam for the Central West is completely misleading. It was only intended to deliver additional water for agriculture. Communities like Eugowra, which were devastated last year, are upstream of the dam. It would have made no difference. Members opposite should get the facts right. We have a clear path forward. We will be delivering proper water strategies for our regions. There will be no more time and money wasted on pie-in-the-sky projects that will never happen.

Ms CATE FAEHRMANN (15:13:28):

It is extraordinary to be in the House on the first day of the Liberals' and Nationals' time in opposition. It is the first day that they are able to put forward private members' business and they move a motion that is trying to congratulate themselves, in some ways, about how great those ridiculous dam proposals were. That is despite Infrastructure Australia, the Productivity Commission, Infrastructure NSW and even Treasury, when it was asked various questions about those proposals and the funding of them during budget estimates, all hinted at the fact that those projects were not only unnecessary but were also based on no business cases and would be an obscene waste of taxpayer dollars.

The motion also suggests that the Labor Government and the Commonwealth Government have reckless disregard for the welfare of people in regional New South Wales and for the viability of agriculture in regional New South Wales. The upper House inquiry into dams travelled and spoke with representatives, people from the lower Lachlan Valley and members of the Australian Floodplain Association. Landholders across New South Wales spoke to us about what they said was reckless disregard of their interests by The Nationals. They said that the dams were really just about shoring up Barnaby Joyce's seat, Kevin Anderson's seat and seats for The Nationals, and at what expense? Hundreds of millions of dollars were announced at the time, but we later found out that billions of dollars of taxpayer money was going towards something to prop up a candidate in an election. That is what we are talking about with those dams.

I acknowledge the contribution by the water Minister about the wasted years. That is what the community should be angry about: the reckless disregard and the wasted years pursuing a ridiculous proposal that was never going to get off the ground. What disrespect that was, not just to the people of regional New South Wales but also to the people right across the State. Without a considered business case saying it stacks up, The Nationals spent years pursuing the Dungowan Dam and the Wyangala Dam. They suspended—

The Hon. Natalie Ward:

Point of order: I ask that the member, as passionate as she is about the matter, directs her comments through you, Mr Deputy President, and not directly across the table to the member who moved the motion. He is entitled to move the motion. I ask that her comments are confined to the motion itself and through the chair.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT (The Hon. Rod Roberts):

I thank the member. Ms Cate Faehrmann has the call.

Ms CATE FAEHRMANN:Time expired.

In my last 10 seconds, I will finish with this: They wasted the Government's ability to come up with a genuine water security strategy for the people of Tamworth. They wasted all those years pursuing dodgy projects. []

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT (The Hon. Rod Roberts):

Before I call another member, I note the point of order taken by the Hon. Natalie Ward. I did not want to drag it out because it would have wasted Ms Cate Faehrmann's time, but this is week one of what will be another four years in Parliament. All members know what we should do and what we have to do. Let us please get on with the job as civilly as we can.

The Hon. PENNY SHARPE (Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Environment, and Minister for Heritage) (15:17:40):

As I have often found, when the Hon. Wes Fang speaks in this Chamber he provokes me into saying something. I am pleased that a motion about water has been moved in the first private members' session of the new Parliament. Water is one of the most, if not the most, precious resources that we have. I am pleased to be part of a Government that has recognised that. One of the Government's first acts will be to protect our water supply by ensuring it is not privatised. I point out the astonishment that I bring to the table when debating the motion. Members opposite had been in government for 12 years—that is three election cycles. They had promised a variety of dams. It went like this: At every election, particularly during the drought when it was tough for people across New South Wales and we were desperate to find solutions to a decreasing volume of water, The Nationals would turn up to Tamworth with the member for Tamworth and people such as the Hon. Wes Fang and the Hon. John Barilaro and say, "We've got a fix for the problem. We're going to build a dam."

Because water policy is complicated and requires much tougher decisions than members opposite have ever chosen to make, they tried to get away with that fallacy—the fallacy has been proven true by the change of government. After 12 years, not a single dollar was put into dealing with Dungowan Dam or Wyangala Dam. There was no money in the budget. For all the carrying on about what Labor may or may not do with the mess that we have been left because of the former Government's failure to act for 12 years, let us get to the truth. The former Government talked about it. They talked a big game, promised communities change, promised them water security, and delivered not one extra litre of water and not one dollar to even try to build the projects they said they would.

Every single time they tried to continue this fallacy that they cared about people in regional New South Wales, that they understood the difficulties those communities were having with water security, and that they were prepared to plan with and listen to those communities to make sure that they genuinely had water security. The amount of money that was tagged for this project could make Tamworth water secure with about a third of the money that is required if they were prepared to do the work. But, no, the project was a smoke-and-mirrors exercise that has been completely shown up, finally, after 12 years. Honestly, the Hon. Wes Fang should be embarrassed that he tried to say "tut-tut" to the Government.

The Hon. AILEEN MacDONALD (15:20:37):

We knew it would be coming, and so soon. The cost of a Labor government is too high a price to pay for the people of New South Wales, especially those in rural New South Wales. The State Government pulling its share of funding following the decision of the Federal Government not to fund the Dungowan Dam project is most disappointing. Water is the most critical of resources and not one that farmers can take lightly. Their whole lives and livelihoods depend upon its reliability. The cancellation of the Dungowan Dam will be felt in real and concrete ways for the people of Tamworth and the region. The pulling of funding of this project means less water for the people of Tamworth, and that fact will have real consequences. Some of the intended benefits of the dam included diversifying water sources, increasing the town water security for Tamworth, maintaining the reliability of water for agriculture in the Peel Valley and maximising local job opportunities which would in turn inject millions of dollars into the local economy and unlock new investment opportunities for the region. Now all those promised benefits will be taken away from regional New South Wales once again.

A troubling but unsurprising aspect of this slashed project is that we are already well underway with the construction of the dam, with stage one being completed with the 55 kilometres of underground pipeline installed running from the Calala Water Treatment Plant at Tamworth to the Dungowan showgrounds. I know that because when I drive to Sydney, I drive past that pipeline. The environmental impact statement has been completed, with the New South Wales State authority on track to assess all public submissions of the statement by the end of 2023. To grind to a halt in the middle of such a crucial project for the people of New England and Tamworth is disappointing to say the least. We need to ensure that our regional communities have water security, especially those families and farmers in Tamworth and surrounding communities. I have lived experience of the 2017 to 2019 drought when in my community we had less than 100 days of water before it rained. I support the motion of my colleague the Hon. Wes Fang.

The Hon. MARK BANASIAK (15:23:27):

I contribute to the debate on the motion from the Hon. Wes Fang. A couple of things need to be noted. The former Government had quite a lot of time to get on with the dam project. They were pursuing the project for a decade, pushing it forward. They cannot blame anyone but themselves when nothing, or very little, has been done. I often raised questions to both water Ministers throughout the last term of the Parliament about the project. I asked who would be paying for this project in the long run. I was insinuating that it would be the end-user who would cop or bear the brunt of the cost of the project. I could not get a firm commitment from either of those water Ministers that that would not be the case.

The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party is very supportive of dams and water infrastructure, but we take each project on a case-by-case basis, and they have to stack up. Labor should not necessarily pooh-pooh any large infrastructure project simply because it costs a lot, because the cheapest time to build something is today and the next cheapest time to build something is tomorrow. Sometimes one needs to bite the bullet and start. It is unfortunate that Barnaby Joyce and Kevin Anderson could not start the project in 12 years. Unfortunately, that is where we are. In terms of Labor's plans for the Namoi and its water strategies, I await further detail. Regarding the Minister's comments the other day on water recycling, I urge a bit of caution. I think she should be mindful of her comments. She should get some advice because some industries in Tamworth are not suited to water recycling, such as the red meat abattoirs. Water recycling is suitable for white meat abattoirs. I flag that. The motion from the member is possibly well intended but—

The Hon. Wes Fang:

It is very well intended.

The Hon. MARK BANASIAK:

I would not go that far. It might be well intended, but some blame can be put on Opposition members for not getting on with the project and getting it done. The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party supports water infrastructure projects, but when governments drag the chain, they only have themselves to blame.

The Hon. JEREMY BUCKINGHAM (15:26:13):

I contribute to the debate on the motion from the Hon. Wes Fang and dissociate from the Opposition's motion. The National Party, of all entities in this country, have form on ridiculous water infrastructure projects. The list goes on and on and goes back into the mists of time. One water infrastructure project in particular comes to mind, and that is the Cranky Rock dam. Who can forget the Cranky Rock dam? It was announced and announced and announced and announced. I remember the Hon. Duncan Gay—

The Hon. Wes Fang:

Good man.

The Hon. JEREMY BUCKINGHAM:

Good man. He was standing in a paddock being asked a very pointed question by a journalist about the Cranky Rock dam. He was asked, "Who is going to use the water from the dam?" Duncan looked at the ground, toed the grass and could not come up with anybody. He said, "By building the dam, we will create jobs." That was clearly a project that did not have a good business case or return on investment. He could not point to an irrigation industry that would be sustained. After some time, he was asked whether it would be used by miners, and he said, "Yes, possibly." The miners in that valley said, "No, we're not interested at all." That was a massive waste of time. Who knows how much money was spent by various departments investigating it?

Time expired.

The Dungowan Dam is another back of the beer coaster idea from Barnaby Joyce, who again and again has proposed the stupidest water infrastructure projects. Another one of my favourites from Barnaby Joyce was the Oxley Wild Rivers dam, which is probably one of the most inaccessible, remote and, because of that, pristine areas in this State. It is a national park. I remember him proposing it as one of the big six water infrastructure projects that would be nation-building. Another idea was damming the Clarence River to pump the water—I note the reaction from the Hon. Wes Fang. He is intimating that he thinks that damming the Clarence River might be an idea. Has he been there? Has he had a look at it? They wanted to pump the water over the Northern Tablelands to create this new Kununurra nirvana. All of them are ridiculous water projects that should never have been put on the table and were always just announcements made— []

The Hon. WES FANG (15:29:28):

In reply: I thank all honourable members for their contributions, including the Minister, Ms Cate Faehrmann and the Hon. Penny Sharpe. I note the comments of the Hon. Penny Sharpe about my ability to inspire, or incite. I thought it was "inspire", but it might have been "incite".

The Hon. Penny Sharpe:

Incite.

The Hon. WES FANG:

I thought I was inspiring you to make a contribution.

The Hon. Penny Sharpe:

No, provoking.

Ms Sue Higginson:

Point of order—

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT (The Hon. Rod Roberts):

I anticipate the point of order. The Hon. Wes Fang, as a former Deputy President, should know that all comments should be directed through the Chair and not across the table to the Leader of the Government.

The Hon. WES FANG:

I think I did say at one point, "Do as I say, not as I do." I thank other members who made a contribution: the Hon. Aileen MacDonald, the Hon. Mark Buttigieg and the Hon. Jeremy Buckingham. However, I note the Minister for Agriculture, and Minister for Western New South Wales, did not make a contribution, which is quite disappointing given that those areas would probably have benefitted had those projects gone ahead.

The Hon. Penny Sharpe:

If you really want to play the game of verballing people who are not in the Chamber, we can do that too.

The PRESIDENT:

Order! The Hon. Wes Fang may continue.

The Hon. WES FANG:

The Hon. Penny Sharpe obviously felt inspired then, Mr Deputy President.

The Hon. Natalie Ward:

Point of order: Members opposite are taking up the honourable member's time. You have just ruled and called for order, and members immediately spoke across the table and interjected again. I ask that they be directed to listen to the member, that he be heard in silence and that he have another minute to complete his reply.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT (The Hon. Rod Roberts):

I uphold the point of order.

The Hon. WES FANG:Time expired.

There were extraordinary contributions, particularly from members opposite. I moved the motion so that those members could provide the people of rural and regional New South Wales with some confidence and reassurance that they would fight for them and for the projects that are on the chopping block because of decisions made with the Federal Government. But what we have seen from those opposite is an absolute disregard for the needs of rural and regional communities in relation to water proposals. I note that one member said that it is great to debate a motion about water because they could speak about the non‑privatisation of Sydney Water. The complete focus of the Government has been on metropolitan water issues with no regard whatsoever to what is happening in rural and regional communities. When we have an issue again, it will be on the Government's head. []

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT (The Hon. Rod Roberts):

The question is that the motion be agreed to.

The House divided.

Ayes14

Noes19

Majority5

Motion negatived.

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