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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-11-11 Daily Xml
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MANNUM WATER SUPPLY

Mr VENNING (Schubert) (15:44): I, too, join my leader in congratulating the Hon. Rob Kerin on his 15 years service to this parliament and South Australia. We were shocked and saddened this morning when we received the news—which came quite suddenly. I have known Rob all my life. We are both Crystal Brook boys. Rob and members of the Kerin family are very much respected in Crystal Brook. I am sure that this parliament's loss will be Crystal Brook's gain. Rob was a very prominent person in the community and, no doubt, he will be again. I say to Cathy: you have him back in one piece. I am sure they will have a new life together. Rob has been a very busy person. We all can take a leaf out of this. We should remember our partners because they are the ones who pay the price. I say to Cathy and the girls: thanks for giving us Rob but you can now have him back. Well done, Rob, and all the best for the future.

Fifty-four homes along Purnong Road in Mannum have been without domestic water for over 12 months, since the backwater from where they were drawing water supply was shut off from the main river due to government drought management aimed at reducing the amount of water lost. The residents have been forced to rely solely on their rainwater, pay for water to be carted in—and recently I have been informed that they are paying $150 for 9,000 litres—or pay the cost to have their pumps extended the 800 metres or so to the river. I am told that this is extremely expensive, costing in excess of $30,000, and only a couple of the 54 households have been able to afford to get this done.

The residents have been given no information from the state Rann Labor government about their future water supply. At a recent meeting held at Mannum with Drought Coordinator, Hon. Dean Brown, the residents were told that they do not qualify for assistance from the government to relocate their pumps as the funds are only available for relocating regulated supply. One of my constituents who lives on Purnong Road called SA Water to inquire about a water supply for the residents along her street and was told that there were no plans to supply water along Purnong Road. These people are not irrigators, they merely want water to live; that is, to be able to go about their daily lives, to shower, go to the toilet, do their washing, wash dishes, etc., as we all do.

I have raised this issue with the minister both via email on 12 September and then via a written letter dated 19 September, but, to date, I have not received any response, aside from the acknowledgment that my correspondence has been received. The residents along the road are questioning whether they are entitled to receive assistance as are the townships and irrigators around the Lower Lakes and the Narrung Peninsula. An amount of $120 million from the $610 million in federal funding pledged to South Australia in July at the COAG meeting is to be used to construct new pipelines to ensure the supply of better drinking and irrigation water from Tailem Bend to the Lower Lakes.

The government has said that it will completely re-engineer water infrastructure for these towns and irrigators. Following the COAG meeting, Mr Rann announced that South Australia also achieved funding of up to $100 million to remove pumps from backwaters and wetlands so that hundreds of irrigators can improve their security of supply and quality of water.

Recently, I have been informed that, when Lake Bonney was shut off, the residents drawing their water from the lake were provided with water cartage and then supplied with piped water from the government. I wonder why? I can understand why my constituents living along Purnong Road are so frustrated, cross and agitated. Why is this minister working with some South Australians like those on the Narrung Peninsula and around Lake Bonney, but ignoring others? Why are some considered more important than others? Why does my urgent inquiry on behalf of them not seem important enough to deserve a prompt response?

Moving their pumps across to the river is cost prohibitive for most of these people and all they are asking for is a little help. I will continue to lobby on their behalf until they receive such help. All the government has to do is provide a pump, a pipe and a manifold from which each of the houses can take their water. We do not live in a Third World country and all South Australians have the right to expect their government to help them maintain their right to have water available for domestic purposes, after all, it was the government that caused this problem by draining the backwater. The government should assist these families to regain access to the water supply so they can live with the same convenience as we all do.

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