News - Sept 2008
North-south pipe plugged for theft
Peter Ker, October 6, 2008, The AGE
Moves to prevent water theft come as the Greens Party confirmed it would lobby the non-Government
parties in the Victorian Parliament's upper house to block Government attempts to formalise the pipe's water
entitlement.
The idea of piping water to Melbourne remains a hard sell in rural Victoria
Source: ABC News, Published:Monday, October 6, ABC VIDEO Link
The Government's plan to supplement Melbourne's dwindling water supplies with a pipeline over the great dividing range is a policy u-turn that was announced just months after the last state election. And it is designed to shore up city votes in the lead up to the next one.
Outcome of Eildon-Sugarloaf north-south pipeline will be anything but sweet
Kenneth Davidson, Date: October 06 2008, The Age
PLAN in haste, repent at leisure. The Government's failure to follow proper process in the design of the Eildon-Sugarloaf north-south pipeline means it cannot deliver the planned 75 gigalitres of water a year to Melbourne without violating the central environmental condition set by federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett.
Pipeline land grab fury - Readers Comments
Mike Edmonds and Nick Higginbottom, The Herald Sun
COMPULSORY acquisition letters have been sent to land-holders along the controversial north-south pipeline.
Yea or nay?
Peter Ker, October 3, 2008, The AGE
PRIMARY school artwork has rarely been so political. In a quiet corner of the Yea library stands a comprehensive display about water conservation. Prepared by local schoolchildren, there are tips for saving water and information about climate change but, not surprisingly, the content is dominated by the north-south pipeline.
Pipe push is madness
Peter Ryan, Weekly Times
There is time to abandon water plans
Kenneth Davidson, October 1, 2008,
The AGE
The desalination plant and the pipeline will become white elephants.
tate hoses down pipeline flames
Peter Ker, September 30, 2008 , The Age
FIRE crews have been granted permission to take water from Victoria's north-south pipeline, in a move that has raised questions about a Labor MP's lobbying.
Brumby attacked for water 'lecture'
29/09/2008 12:00:00 AM, Canberra Times
Independent South Australian senator Nick Xenophon has launched a blistering attack on Victorian Premier John Brumby, likening his call for responsible water use to Osama bin Laden demanding world peace.
Water becomes Labor’s new money
27/09/2008 11:10:00 AM
WATER has become the new money for Labor governments.
Farmer’s pipeline stand may prove right
27/09/2008 11:09:00 AM
WHEN the Murray River is reduced to a sluggish trickle, history will prove arrested Yea farmer Deb McLeish right is resisting the entry of north-south pipeline workers on to her property.
Victoria, SA in spat over Murray River
September 26, 2008 - 5:35PM
Unlike Victoria, SA was on track to meet its targets under the Living Murray initiative and was easing reliance on the river by building a desalination plant in Adelaide, he said.In contrast, the Victorian government was building the Sugarloaf pipeline to take 75 billion litres from the Murray for Melbourne, he said.
Water storm cools
Business Spectator, 26 Sep
Brumby denied the Water Act has been artificially changed to allow Melbourne Water access to the farm.
Council demands to see pipeline business plan
Posted Fri Sep 26, 2008 1:22pm AEST, ABC
The authority behind the construction of the north-south pipeline is being asked to make its business plan public.
Brumby guards bully senior
Nick Higginbottom,September 26, 2008 02:36pm
AN 84-year-old man has been manhandled by Premier John Brumby's security team today as the north-south pipeline war escalates.
Victorian premier Brumby tells SA to lift its game on water
GREG KELTON, STATE EDITOR, September 26, 2008 12:06pm
VICTORIA'S John Brumby has launched an extraordinary attack on South Australia over the River Murray, accusing it of not doing enough to save the waterway.
Politics prompt pipeline progress
Posted by Vicki from Kennington on 25/09/2008 at 05:07 PM in EDITORIAL COMMENT
Just look at the panic which has set in now that Melbourne has had a taste of water restrictions. Not only is the government going to build one of the largest desalination plants in the world, it is also proceeding with a pipeline to connect the metropolis with the Goulburn system. Both projects are contentious in that they are energy intensive, and even though the government proposes that the electricity should eventually come from sustainable sources, it will still be at a huge annual cost.
Pipe arrest defiance
By Melissa Meehan, 30th September 2008 02:00:39 AM, The Star
LANDOWNERS along the proposed Sugarloaf Pipeline route have refused to rule out further protests, following the arrest of Yea farmer Deb Bertalli last Wednesday.
84-year-old pipe protestor removed by Brumby guards
DAVID ROOD,26/09/2008 3:43:00 PM, AGE
A lone protestor disrupted Premier John Brumby's trip to northern Victoria, confronting the Premier at a community function in Wodonga this afternoon. Mr Brumby's security detail removed 84-year-old Russell Fox after he approached the Premier and branded the controversial north-south pipeline a disgrace.
Farmers promise to continue protests against north-south pipeline
Sarah Wotherspoon, September 25, 2008 11:50am
FURIOUS farmers have promised a long and drawn out campaign against construction works on the north-south pipeline.
Water pipeline a dud, says Flannery
Adam Morton, Peter Ker and David Rood, September 24, 2008
ENVIRONMENTALIST Tim Flannery has condemned Victoria's controversial north-south pipeline, describing the State Government's justification for it as "bullshit".
Greens call for review of north-south pipeline approval
Posted Thu Sep 25, 2008 10:25am AEST
The Greens Senator Bob Brown is planning to introduce a motion in the Senate calling on the Federal Government to review its approval of the north-south pipeline.
Brown calls on Garrett to review pipeline decision
Water policy is based on flawed figures
Kenneth Davidson, September 24, 2008, AGE
Based on the three drought years, the modernisation program would have to "save" 94% of these projected losses.
Deb McLeish arrested in north south pipe protest
Staff writers, September 24, 2008 02:57pm Read Comments
A
FARMER protesting against the Sugarloaf pipeline has been arrested and
dragged from her land as she blocked water officials.
A 80-year-old mother, the
owner of the farm, was very distressed by people barging in on her
land.
Plan to pipe water raises eyebrows
19/09/2008 4:55:00 PM, Fairfax
Federal Member for Barker Patrick Secker said the Federal Government was stealing water from South Australia.“This is a national disgrace,” he said.
Turnbull dragged into pipeline debate
September 18, 2008, 7:18 pm
The federal opposition has accused the Victorian government of taking "desperate" measures as it tries to garner support for its controversial $750 million Sugarloaf pipeline.
Retrofits a tankless task: minister
By Royce Millar, September 18, 2008
Includes the Quote of the Year : He said in the letter that while tanks are "excellent" for saving water around the home, they are of limited use because they tend to collect most water in winter when it's needed least.
Never rains but it pours for Holding
25/09/2008 4:00:00 AM, Editorial , The Bendigo Adverstiser
WATER Minister Tim Holding must be praying for rain or a Cabinet reshuffle about now.
Water stolen from dying Murray-Darling by technicality
We Can Do Better, PTP
Senate condemns Garrett's pipeline decision
The Greens, 16 September
The Senate today passed an Australian Greens motion condemning the decision by Environment Minister Peter Garrett to give approval to the Sugarloaf Pipeline under the provisions of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
Is Peter An Environmental Vandal?
12 September, Yahoo
Great water divide grows
Matt Johnston, September 09, 2008 12:00am
LARGE schemes such as the desalination plant could have Melbourne on stage 1 restrictions within 10 years, a state government department told a parliamentary inquiry yesterday.
But Environment Victoria said the Government's water plans were outdated and risky.
Greens join forces across state borders to save the Murray
5 September, Greens