North South Pipeline

The North South Pipeline is a Victorian government project to build a water pipeline from northern Victoria's Eildon and Goulburn area to Melbourne in an effort to try and secure the state capital's water supply in to the future. The project was announced in May 2008 and approved by the federal Environment Minister (Peter Garrett) in September 2008. [cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/12/2362951.htm?section=justin|publisher=ABC News|title=Garrett gives pipeline go ahead|date=12/09/2008]

The pipeline is part of the Victorian Government's Foodbowl Modernization Plan, involving the upgrade of much of the state's irrigation infrastructure. It is claimed that this plan save 225 billion litres of water, of which 75 billion litres will be diverted to Melbourne via the pipeline.Fact|date=September 2008

Criticisms

Despite the government's claims, many people believe that the figures and statistics used have been done so incorrectly and for the governments benefit.Fact|date=September 2008

Groups such as [http://www.plugthepipe.com Plug the Pipe] and the [http://www.vff.org.au/ Victorian Farmers Federation] , claim that there simply isn't enough water to take, and are supported in this by farmers, residents and businesses in the effected areas. Fact|date=September 2008 Many believe their lively hoods are in danger form the lack of water, accusing the government of stealing their water, taking it away from local food production and a system already in crisis.Fact|date=September 2008 They also believe that the plan is environmental unsound, due to the risk to several rare species, wetlands, native forest, and highland water ways along the proposed path.Fact|date=September 2008 As well as the 160,000 t/year in greenhouse emissions produced from pumping water the long distance and over the Great Dividing Range.Fact|date=September 2008

The Plug the Pipe group (as well as many irrigators, businesses and individuals) claims that the pipeline will take desperately needed water away from the Victorian "Foodbowl", which provides 73% of Australia's food, as well as significantly strengthening the Australian and Victorian economies through exporting the food that isn't needed by Australia. They claim that the Eildon and Goulburn water systems are already in crisis, with not enough water for its own users, let alone Melbourne.

The Victorian Liberal and National Parties, (who have again formed a Coalition) are against the plan, and support Plug the Pipe efforts order to stop the pipeline from going ahead.

On the 20th October 2006 the Victorian Premier released a report "The Central Region Sustainable Water Strategy" in which the government claimed it wasn't viable to take water from the Goulburn Valley to Melbourne. The CSIRO have since released several reports stating the same and commenting on the detrimental effect it would have on both the environment and the agricultural production which contributes so much to Victoria's economy.The auditor general released a scathing report concerning the governments lack of accountability in regard to the project and its unwillingness to conduct the appropriate environmental and fiscal studies to justify the projects claimed benefits to the communities.70% of Victoria's 79 municipal councils have also voted in favour of the project being halted until proper investigations are conducted.

Mr Brumby, however, disputes these claims, saying, "Our estimates on Food Bowl are actually quite conservative … Even in the dry years you've got 690 gigalitres of water lost," he said. "I'm more convinced than ever it's the right project."

References

External links

* http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/review-to-guide-murraydarling-water-deals/2008/05/19/1211182704302.html
* http://business.theage.com.au/drips-to-the-fore-in-water-planning-20080427-28vp.html
* http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/17/2007938.htm
* http://business.theage.com.au/holding-could-use-some-tunnel-vision-20080511-2d1f.html?skin=text-only
* http://abc.com.au/news/stories/2008/03/03/2178280.htm
* http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21674273-5010020,00.html
* http://www.plugthepipe.com