Vic: Protesters taunt Holding over desalination plant

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2008
Vic: Protesters taunt Holding over desalination plant

WONTHAGGI, Vic, Dec 18 AAP - Victorian Water Minister Tim Holding had to dodge demonstrators
to inspect progress on a multi-billion dollar desalination plant on the state's south-east
coast.

About 30 protesters tried to box in Mr Holding as he left the facility at Wonthaggi on Thursday.

The protesters, armed with placards and black balloons - representing the plant's
carbon emissions - rallied around Mr Holding's car shouting "shame Holding shame" and
"Get a water tank you little shit".

Mr Holding was inspecting a seawater sampling unit, installed this week as part of
the preliminary testing works for the project.

He said the desalination plant, which will generate 150 billion litres of water every
year, was vitally important to Victoria.

"The truth is that we do need a non-rainfall dependence source of water if we're to
have water security for Victoria and that's why this project's so important," Mr Holding
said.

"We'd say to the protesters we respect their right to protest, I've met with them on
several occasions, I've heard their perspective, they've heard the reasons why the government
needs to continue with this project and ultimately they'll make their own decision as
to how long they want to continue their campaign for."

Desalination opponent Jessica Harrison said the protesters would fight to the end and
their resolve was only growing stronger.

She said in today's era of climate change the government should be investing in rainwater
harvesting and water tanks rather than selling water assets off to multinational companies.

"Any little bit of green energy should be used to reduce our carbon emissions not to
feed an energy guzzling water factory," Ms Harrison said.

The seawater testing unit will help the short listed bidders - AquaSure and BassWater
- develop tender submissions for constructing the plant, which was initially estimated
to cost $3.1 billion.

The submissions are due in March and the successful bidder will be announced in mid 2009.

"The consortia, the two bidders, will be able to use this seawater sampling unit to
gain important information about the water temperature, about its turbidity, about a whole
lot of different factors which can affect in turn the technology they use for their submissions
to government," Mr Holding said.

AAP cmb/szp/gfr/it/bwl

KEYWORD: WATER VIC

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