Victoria’s local councils have exposed yet another Brumby Government lie about the hated North-South Pipeline, Nationals MP for Northern Victoria Region Damian Drum said today.
“The Municipal Association of Victoria – the peak body representing all 79 councils in the state – has voted overwhelmingly against the pipeline.”
At its State Council, about 70 per cent of MAV councils supported a motion calling on the state to re-think the pipe.
The motion said there were three major flaws in the Government’s plans:
· Inadequate consultation before the decision was made.
· No environmental effects statement was made
· No audit was done on how much water could be saved.
“The Brumby Labor Government has lied about the people of Victoria supporting the pipeline concept. Clearly, based on this vote, that is not true. Local government is in tune with public sentiment even if the Labor Government isn’t.
“Many of the municipalities which backed the MAV motion were Melbourne-based. It is now obvious that it’s not just country people who want this fruit-loop plan stopped. Even the Melbourne media is becoming sceptical about it.
“John Brumby now faces a hostile state over the plan to take water out of the empty northern catchments, pump it over the Great Divide to Melbourne. Even Melbourne people now see the sheer folly of that idea and do not want to damage the north of the state.
“The Government has now been shown to be making up claims about the level of public support for the pipe, the amount of savings to be had, the environmental impact, the amount of consultation.
Media Contact: Damian Drum (03) 5443 6277
