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Rev Fred Nile raised the issue during question time in the NSW Legislative Council.
Reverend The Hon. Fred Nile: I ask the Treasurer a question without notice.
Is it a fact that New South Wales is experiencing the worst drought on record and meteorologists do not expect any relief over the coming hot summer months? Is it a fact that Sydney's water storage has been reduced to 41 per cent of available storage, and that Warragamba Dam, Sydney's principal water supply, has been reduced to 39 per cent of available storage? Is it a fact that the New South Wales Labor Government has "deferred indefinitely" the building of Welcome Reef Dam, in the Shoalhaven area, mainly becaus! e of the fear of violent Green party protests?
Is the Minister aware of the study by hydrology specialist and civil engineer John Brown back in 2004 stating that Welcome Reef received more rainfall and that the dam would fill its minimum operating level of the 600 million megalitre potential within four months and was the least environmentally sensitive dam site he had studied?
Will the Government reconsider the study undertaken by Mr Brown and the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation, and reconsider the project, as the then Sydney Water Board had commenced preparation for the dam site more than 30 years ago? Is it a fact that in answer to a question on 29 October 1992 the Government stated that the dam would need to be in service by 2005?
The Hon. Michael Costa: I would love to answer that question, if I had sufficient time and if I were the Minister responsible for it. However, I will say this. There should be no fear that I would ever be concer! ned about Green preferences being the basis of policy. Certain! ly it is not true that this question is a dorothy dixer. The Government has taken a decision in relation to water supply, not only for New South Wales but also for the Sydney metropolitan area. It has done that under its water plan, which has been publicly released. The plan seeks to balance increasing water supply with a sensible strategy of recycling where it is appropriate. We also have a plan to ensure that if we get to the point where, through drought conditions, we require additional water supplies, we have the aquifers that have been identified for the Sydney region as being a suitable source of temporary but sufficient water to manage—
The Hon. John Ryan: Rubbish! They are not exactly connected to the water system.
The Hon. Michael Costa: I know it must be very disturbing for the Hon. John Ryan to be described as a turkey, particularly if he is the next bird on the spit, but he should not interject so vigorously.
I heard that interjecti! on: mobile voters are ready to come to the Hon. John Ryan's next preselection. The Metropolitan Water Plan is outlined on the Government's web site. The plan includes harvesting water from existing storages, introducing new supplies of water, and having a proper balance with recycling. They are the strategies we are looking at. If there are alternative strategies, certainly they would be considered at the appropriate time. But at this stage the Government believes the Metropolitan Water Strategy will meet the supplies required for the Sydney Basin.