16 August 2009 the following statement was made regarding pipelines around the Lower Lakes '...with the exception of Point Sturt they have to wait until September.' If this were true, the residents of Point Sturt would have cause to celebrate. In fact, the residents of Point Sturt will only know in September (now slipped a little into October) if there are sufficient leftover contingency funds available from the creeks pipeline to fund their project. Only then will the process begin that may (with no guarantees as yet) lead to a pipeline. A certainty of leftover funds will begin the consideration of the business case followed by the process of tendering, ordering, surveying etc. None of this has been done and so the residents and farmers of Point Sturt are being guaranteed no water this summer by a government who states they consult but hasn't (at least not since August 07). We will thus not have any water, if at all, until well into 2010. Senator Wong has clearly indicated that the SA Government provided a 'list of priority projects' around the lower lakes. Evidently Point Sturt was not included. We are thus being effectively penalised for heeding the advice of three SA water officers who told community members at a meeting in August 07 'not to bother' applying for water. Apparently, also according to Senator Wong (July 24th ABC radio 891) decisions on who to put forward to Canberra were made 'on the basis of representations made to Rann and Maywald.' The Government that repeatedly says they consult told us nothing about this. Our Water Minister, callously indifferent to our needs, stated in a recent letter (17th July) that 'we could do that (connect to SA Water) right now' if we paid $100,000 per property. She, in coming from a rural electorate herself knows how insulting such a comment is. She knows we haven't got that kind of change. Our Water Minister also stated in estimates in early July 'As I have advised .....those communities in written correspondence, probably September (referring to the date when contingency outcome of creeks pipeline may be known) ...' The trouble in the time frame referred to no such correspondence was received by anyone in this community, either from the Water Minister or from anyone purporting to represent her. Our Water Minister who claims to consult won't even reply (as at 16/8/09) to a request to attend a meeting to answer questions. So, even though it is clearly the fault of our State Government in failing to identify our need to replace water previously provided for over 150 years through access to Lake Alexandrina, it is also beyond belief that they will not now simply fix the problem nor provide any assistance with water carting in the interim. This, especially in the light of the cheapness of the project at only $3.4 million. For this reason we are seeking an urgent meeting with Premier Rann as our Water Minister, who consistently refuses to answer key questions, clearly has no intention to act in good faith, nor to fulfil her '...undertaking to conduct a thorough open and transparent consultation with the community on all projects.' (Hansard -DWLBC estimates hearings 09) The actions of our State Government in relation to Point Sturt water appear typical of so much else -once a decision is made and a course of action decided nothing will change their mind even if the decision is wrong and will cause suffering, economic hardship and even danger (fire hazard as cattle are removed and long uneaten grasses dry) to widows, families with children and farmers alike. Peter Doecke, Point Sturt. |