SOUTHERN FORESTS
IRRIGATION SCHEME
866. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the Minister for Regional Development:
I
refer to the minister's media release of 7 October 2022 entitled, ''New
direction for Southern Forests water security'', which announced
the termination of the Record Brook dam project in Manjimup.
(1) Does the full
$39.7 million commitment from the federal government, announced in May 2019,
remain committed?
(2) Does the
full $19 million commitment by the state government in December 2016,
reconfirmed by the minister on 28 July 2017, remain committed?
(3) What are the
geographical boundaries or limits of any proposed replacement scheme that uses
the redirected funding?
(4) Will any of this funding be
redirected to projects outside the Shire of Manjimup?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question.
(1) I have contacted
the federal Minister for the Environment and Water to update her on our
decision and urged that the federal funding remain committed to the region. I pointed
out that, under the previous administration, the commonwealth government's
commitment to the southern forests irrigation scheme was one of only two
national water grid fund projects in Western Australia. In total, these
projects account for only two per cent of the total value of all projects that
receive commitment under the national water grid fund. It is my belief that
that firmly grounds the need for this money to remain for this project.
(2) All funds remain committed to
the southern forests horticultural precinct.
(3)–(4) The
funding is dedicated to supporting the southern forests horticultural region.
There is no trick here, member. We want all this money to remain for solutions
in that region.