Premier must allow a genuine desalination review - 16 January 2006

Greens MLC Ian Cohen has called on the Premier to intervene to allow a genuine assessment of whether the Kurnell desalination plant should go ahead.

“Today’s revelations are further evidence that the Government is ignoring best advice in its headlong rush to build the unpopular desalination plant,” Mr Cohen said.

“An expensive consultation and environmental assessment process is underway, yet the Government is saying that it will build a desalination plant at Kurnell no matter what.

“The community consultation is clearly a sham.

“If the Government genuinely believes that desalination is the best scientific, economic and environmental option, it should be willing to subject the proposal to proper scrutiny - and then accept the results.

“The Upper House inquiry into the issue has begun taking submissions. The Government should wait until that is completed before making a final decision about desalination,” Mr Cohen said.