Pipeline invasion claim

By Melissa Meehan
ANTI-pipeline protesters continue to fight against the construction of the Sugarloaf pipeline.
In the latest chapter, anti-pipeline saga group Plug the Pipe has attacked the integrity of Melbourne Water employees attempting to survey the land.
Spokesperson for Plug the Pipe Jan Beer said that pipeline construction workers had “invaded a property near Yea” last week, without following agreed bio-security practices.
“This was despite a previous agreement with the landowner and his solicitor that measures would be taken to prevent the possible transfer of livestock diseases from one property to another,” Ms Beer said.
“When they arrived without the sufficient paperwork Melbourne Water employees were seen climbing over fences on other parts of the property without the landowner’s knowledge.”
A spokesperson for the Sugarloaf Pipeline Alliance said that a “very rigorous bio-security process was followed before entering the property and suggestions to the contrary are simply inadequate”.
He said that part of the current survey work was partly about consulting with landowners on the preferred route of the pipe through their property.
“Particularly in terms of whether there are any significant features they would like us to try and avoid.”
The project is part of the Brumby Government’s plan to secure Victoria’s water, with the 70-kilometre pipeline to pump 75 billion litres of water to Melbourne by 2010.