05/05/2005 - Mr Greg Hunt
MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister
for the Environment and Heritage and Member
for Flinders, has joined Member for Wentworth
Mr Malcolm Turnbull MP in slamming the Carr
Government for failing to protect Sydney-siders
from tonnes of partially-treated sewage pouring
into the ocean just off Sydney's beaches.
The water off Sydney's beaches has been ruled
unsafe for swimming by experts, who warn the
levels of bacteria found in the water by independent
tests this week put swimmers at risk of gastroenteritis
and upper respiratory infections.
"The NSW Government's total disregard
for the health of residents and visitors is
utterly unacceptable," Mr Hunt said.
"Mr Carr must commit to cleaning up
the outfalls, not merely patching up the pipes.
He must agree to a long-term plan to end the
outfalls, stop the pollution and re-use the
water.
"After almost a decade of Australia's
worst environmental vandalism under his leadership,
there can be no excuse and no delay. The only
way to fix this problem for good is to invest
in sewage treatment plants that can recycle
this waste and produce usable water for industry
and agriculture.”
"I call on Frank Sartor to replace this
travesty of a nineteenth century sewage treatment
system and put an end to ocean outfalls. Unfortunately
this latest patch-job is no surprise – the
Carr Government has been sitting on this sewage
problem for 10 years,” said Malcolm Turnbull.
"Each year over 360 gigalitres of raw,
and secondary treated sewage is dumped off
Sydney's beaches. It's not only dangerous,
but it wastes desperately needed water which
could be recycled.
"If we are going to end ocean outfalls
by 2025, we need to invest in better sewage
treatment plants. Sydney Water's current monolopy
is strangling Sydney's water supply.
"We need to free up Sydney's water to
private investment, so that recycled water
can be the answer our water supply desperately
needs.
"The states have failed to take advantage
of the National Water Initiative, and are
applying the band-aid technique to serious
water infrastructure problems."
