Sustainable Water Supply

Mr TONY STEWART: My question is addressed to the Minister for Water Utilities. What is the latest information on the Government's State Plan priority of a secure and sustainable water supply for all users?

Mr NATHAN REES: I thank the member for his longstanding interest in the key issue of water. Members in this place are only too well aware that we have a comprehensive plan to guarantee a secure and sustainable drinking water supply for all users in New South Wales. That key priority and commitment of the Iemma Government under its State Plan is being delivered right across the State. The Government's Metropolitan Water Plan secures Sydney's water future by increasing recycling, reducing demand and increasing supply. We have more than 70 stormwater harvesting projects across greater Sydney and a desalination plant that can provide up to 28 per cent additional supply—Sydney's biggest water infrastructure project since Warragamba Dam, 100 per cent green and tapping into the world's biggest dam, the ocean.

We are delivering Australia's leading recycling programs, four of the biggest in Australia, at BlueScope Steel in the Illawarra, at Rouse Hill, at Rosehill and in Western Sydney, increasing our recycled water supply by 11 per cent in 2015. Our recycled water is for industrial use or for use in our parks and gardens—the sort of water recycling that people accept and can trust. Very different, and a billion dollars more expensive, is the recycling of effluent for drinking water purposes. Members will remember that is what the member for Vaucluse took to the electorate in March this year. The Leader of the Opposition is still uncertain whether that remains policy—

Mr Peter Debnam: Very popular.

Mr NATHAN REES: Regardless, it was a proposition—

Ms Kristina Keneally: Yes, it was really popular. We rode right into victory on that.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Ageing and Disability Services will cease interjecting.

Mr NATHAN REES: The member for Vaucluse said it was popular. I have to hand yesterday's copy of that journal of repute, the Fairfield City Champion, and by chance they have vox popped some people out of Fairfield and asked them whether they would drink recycled water. Maritza of Bossely Park said, "I don't think I'll drink it." Nicole of Fairfield West said, "Could never do it. It's really gross." Frank of Fairfield Heights said, "I don't want sewage pumped through our water system; you can't trust it." The member for Vaucluse said that this was popular. Let me give the member for Vaucluse a tip: that is an error of judgment. In March that proposition was soundly rejected but it seems that the member for Terrigal has not picked up the message. Last Tuesday evening I was on ABC radio where there was a healthy exchange of views and a good range of listeners.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Lane Cove will stop interjecting.

Mr NATHAN REES: We spoke about desalination, water policy and related matters.

The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Terrigal to order.

[Interruption]

The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Terrigal to order for the second time.

Mr NATHAN REES: The balanced ABC offered the member for Terrigal some airtime. When it was put to the member for Terrigal that people would not accept recycling effluent for drinking water purposes he replied:

Recycled water can be used for a wide range of uses, in some cases potable water.

That is drinking water. The member for Terrigal put this issue fairly and squarely back on the agenda of the Leader of the Opposition. He thought that he had taken it out the back and shot it, but it is back—another golden incursion into the rarefied field of policy development. Earlier this year I did a bit of research on my opposite numbers, as one would expect.

The SPEAKER: Order! The House will come to order.

Mr NATHAN REES: I thought it would be worthwhile to trawl the archives and I am glad that I did so. Some members would be aware of the good work done by the Asian Studies Association of Australia and they might be subscribers to its highly regarded journal, Asian Currents. In July 2004 that association interviewed the member for Terrigal in a profile piece. Asian Currents, a serious journal of international repute, encompasses views and articles on India, which has more than a billion people and an economy of $4 trillion that is growing at around 10 per cent a year; and China with a population of 1.3 billion people, growing in double figures, and an economy of $2.5 trillion. Those countries, which are steeped in rich tradition, culture and history, have provided a tremendous boost to Australia—nearly 250,000 Australians of Indian descent and around 600,00 Australians of Chinese descent. Both those countries have a substantial impact on geopolitical developments in our part of the world. That is the landscape. Bearing that in mind, the member for Terrigal replied to a question on Asian-Australian relations with this little gem:

The great majority of Australians will only develop an ongoing interest in Asia through areas that are of interest to them.

The SPEAKER: Order! Members on the Government benches will remain silent.

Mr Chris Hartcher: Point of order: My point of order relates to relevance. While I am enormously flattered that interviews of 2004 could be recycled, they are not relevant to the question that was asked of the Minister. He should be directed back to the question.

The SPEAKER: Order! I ask the Minister to remain within the leave of the question.

Mr NATHAN REES: This goes directly to the quality of the choice that the people of New South Wales made in March.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Epping should be careful with his interjections.

Mr NATHAN REES: The member for Terrigal then said:

Sport is a significant pathway along with movies. For example, Bruce Lee and Asian martial arts have been important vehicles for encouraging the development of Asia-consciousness among many Australians.

That reference to Bruce Lee is champagne stuff! That is the quality of vision that the member for Terrigal brought to the development of water policy in New South Wales. Meanwhile, this Government is simply getting on with the job. I have outlined how Sydney's drinking water supply is set up for the next half century. With regard to the Central Coast, currently it is on level 4 restrictions. Earlier today I met with the mayors of Wyong and Gosford councils who are principled, well-motivated men, and I am certain we can make progress towards better arrangements on the Central Coast. In the Hunter we are building the Tillegra Dam—$340 million worth of infrastructure, hundreds of jobs and a guarantee of water for the Hunter for the next 50 years and beyond.

The next area of work for the Government is to drought proof drinking water supplies for the two million people that live in rural and regional New South Wales. In August this year I travelled to Inverell and delivered a speech to the Local Government and Shires Association. I put it to that association that the 107 water utilities across rural New South Wales need both assistance and a long-term plan to ensure sustainability. I invited every utility to contact me with ideas and we have received more than 60 submissions. Since then I have also written to every utility asking for comments on the draft terms of reference for an examination of the way in which we deliver drinking water. I have given an undertaking to every council and to Genia McCaffrey and Bruce Miller of the Local Government and Shires Association that local authorities will be consulted every step of the way.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for South Coast will cease interjecting.

Mr NATHAN REES: I will report back to the House on progress in due course. The Government is guaranteeing the long-term drinking water supplies of country towns and villages across New South Wales. We have worked closely with councils and we have delivered the $1 billion Country Towns Water and Sewerage Program—more than $45 million spent through our drought emergency works and more than 300 water supply and sewerage projects. We will continue these efforts in partnership with local council representatives and their communities.

[Business interrupted.]