Parched pipe

By Melissa Meehan
THE Brumby Government has admitted the controversial $750 million Sugarloaf pipeline project could be a failure if the drought persists.
Planning Minister Justin Madden last week signed off on the route for the 70-kilometre pipeline from the Goulburn River, near Yea, to the Sugarloaf Reservoir in Christmas Hills.
But Mr Madden acknowledged there might be no water to pump if the drought persisted.
“It is important to recognise the water needs to be there. There is no steering away from that. The water needs to be there,” said Mr Madden.
But the planning minister called on landholders to end their fight against the project saying the government would not go back on its plans for the pipeline.
“I know this is very sensitive to many landholders, but I would call upon those affected to acknowledge the project will go ahead,” Mr Madden said adding that they should openly work with the proponent.
But the protest group Plug the Pipe said it would continue to fight the project.
“We are extremely angered by the announcement by Planning Minister Madden of the route of the north south pipeline but we are not at all surprised,” spokeswoman for Plug the Pipe Jan Beer said.
“This announcement gives us even greater reasons to continue the fight to stop this pipe.”
Ms Beer said Mr Madden’s acknowledgment of there being no water if the drought persists, “exposed the extreme act of environmental vandalism” that the pipeline would bring to areas along its route.
“The Planning Minister has effectively signed the death warrant for the Murray and the entire Murray Darling Basin,” Ms Beer said.
Dixon’s Creek resident Lyn Mullens said taxpayers could not afford to have their money spent on an “ill conceived, environmental disaster”.
“It is not too late for both State and Federal governments to seriously consider alternative options for water that have been presented,” Ms Mullens said.
“And save the Murray River and Murray Darling Basin from its inevitable death sentence that has been proclaimed on it by the Brumby Government.”
Melbourne Water welcomed the approval and conditions for the alignment and construction of the pipeline.
Managing Director of Melbourne Water Rob Skinner said Mr Madden’s decision represented an important milestone for a “critical project”.
“Since this project was first announced, we’ve worked with our alliance partners to carefully design the 70km pipeline that will bring water savings to Melbourne,” Mr Skinner said.
“The conditions set by the Victorian Minister for Planning mean that the construction of the pipeline must meet a very high environmental standard.”
“Our next step will be to complete our current survey work to finalise the site-specific environmental plans the Minister has asked for, which will be approved progressively as the construction schedule rolls out.
Last week’s announcement confirms that the Sugarloaf Pipeline remains on schedule for completion in mid-2010.