Hunter Water not willing to pay for Geology Report
At a meeting on 8 November 2007 Hunter Water were interested in finding out where NTDG considers there are major instability problems at the proposed dam site, but they were not prepared to pay for the technical report despite such information having cost the group tens of thousands of dollars. It was only to be expected given that on a previous occasion when the NTDG met with Ministers Rees and Koperberg back in August 2007, they were not even interested in giving the group’s geologist time to speak about the issues let alone listen to our concerns. Now after inviting the NTDG to join in discussion it would seem they want it all one way i.e. their way and wanted the Group to disclose confidential information on the site conditions without some contribution to costs already incurred by the Group to discover this major problem.
It seems this NSW Government and its agencies have decided to treat the people of NSW with contempt. This was further demonstrated by Minister Koperberg’s response to Questions asked by George Souris MLA this month, which were quickly flick passed like the children’s game called “pass the parcel” to another Minister.
This Government does not want to listen, is not prepared to pay for information and blindly goes ahead without due process or consultation. As late as June 2006 in its own agency’s report card to Government, Hunter Water did not consider it even worthy of mentioning Tillegra and in fact stated “Hunter Water’s first priority is to limit demand growth to minimise the economic and environmental cost of creating new sources”.
How can it be that within 5 months of that report we have an announcement to proceed with Tillegra?
We now have the Gosford Wyong Water Authority saying they do not need Tillegra and we now have the major drinking water storages in the Hunter Region at or about full capacity with projected growth at less than the national average – why do we now need a dam twice the size of the current storage capacity in an area which Hunter Water’s own geologist calls “complex”?
Water experts across the world have concluded that dam storage is 19th century technology. So why is this Government and Hunter Water hell bent on putting the Lower Hunter into such a time warp? Why, because they need to sell the water! But the poor consumer has no idea yet that they will ultimately be paying for it!!
Hunter Water’s budget for this project has been summarised in a 5 line budget outline. If this is what Mr Iemma used to make his decision to proceed with this major piece of infrastructure then heaven help this state and all those who live in it!! Maybe we should all try this trick next time we see our Bank Manager for a loan and see where we might get on such scant information.