The NSW Government’s plans to squander $1.4 million dollars of taxpayers money on advertising its energy guzzling desalination plant is an appalling indictment of its incompetence on water issues, according to NSW Greens MP Ian Cohen.
“This government likes to paint itself Green, but an energy guzzling desalination plant vaporises that illusion no matter how much greenwash is used to sell it,” said Mr Cohen.
“The advertisement claims that desalination is there as a back up if needed. It wouldn’t be needed if the government implemented cheaper, more effective and environmentally friendly ways of guaranteeing Sydney’s water supplies.
“Only last year I chaired a parliamentary inquiry that made it clear that desalination would only be necessary if the government refused to go down the path of large scale stormwater harvesting, recycling, and increased rebates for water tanks,” Mr Cohen said.
“The advertisement claims that large scale recycling is part of the government’s approach. I can only presume this means there is a major recycling announcement in the offing, because the current boutique schemes, whilst better than nothing, do little to staunch the 450 billion litres of wastewater that this government allows to flow into the oceans off Sydney each year.
“Morris Iemma cannot pretend this desalination plant is environmentally friendly merely because it will be allegedly powered by green energy. This is indicative of their one step forward, two step back approach to both water and climate change.
“Green energy should be being used to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, not to merely offset a greenhouse belching desalination plant.
“If the government was serious about climate change they would be reducing greenhouse gas emissions by insisting that current large scale polluters use green energy, rather than using it to justify what will become yet another NSW ALP white elephant,” concluded Mr Cohen.
Further Information: Michael Hidden 9230 3305 / 0431 320 085
Ian Cohen: 0409 989 466
No comments:
Post a Comment