Budget wastes away on water and power - 6 June 2006

The State budget has rubber stamped the government’s continuing wasteful policies on water and energy, Greens Upper House MP Ian Cohen said today.

“In today’s budget speech, the Treasurer waxed lyrical about recycling being a ‘key focus’ of water investment for the greater Sydney region. But only $26.1 million has been allocated to water recycling projects for Sydney – a drop in the ocean compared to the staggering $43.1 million for the desalination plant contingency plan.”

Funds should instead be redirected to efficient water recycling and stormwater harvesting systems, Mr Cohen said.

“This contingency plan steers NSW towards an inefficient, energy-guzzling desalination plant that would be completely unnecessary if more dollars were spent on recycling water for industrial and agricultural uses.

“Plans to extract water from the Shoalhaven River will have dire environmental consequences for an short-term solution to Sydney’s water crisis.

Energy efficiency was also overlooked in the face of glossy announcements to upgrade the electricity system, Mr Cohen said.

“The Treasurer says he has a pro growth bias, and nowhere is this bias more evident than his plan for the electricity system. While there are billions for investment in the expansion of the electricity distribution grid, strategies to encourage demand reduction and energy efficiency continue to take a back seat.