Thursday, 18 August 2022

Adjournment

Ms SHING (Eastern Victoria—Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Equality) (17:55): I move:

That the house do now adjourn.

Greening Euroa project

Ms LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (17:55): (2068) My adjournment matter is for the new Minister for Water, and she is at the table tonight, so that is great. I would like to bring to her attention a droughtproofing project currently being undertaken by the Strathbogie Shire Council. The action that I seek is for the minister to support Strathbogie shire’s Greening Euroa project by providing funding of $3.8 million for stage 3 of the project, which will construct a pipeline from the wastewater management facility to allow for the use of treated recycled water in the Euroa township.

The Greening Euroa project is an initiative of the Strathbogie Shire Council to help address the impact of chronic water shortages in the town during autumn and summer. The project will see the use of recycled rather than potable water to irrigate Euroa’s school ovals, sporting fields and parks and gardens to ensure that they remain green through the drier months. The project will see the treated water from Euroa’s wastewater management facility upgraded from class C to class B water quality and piped to underground storage tanks located around the town.

Stages 1 and 2 of the project have been completed, and the third and final stage involves the construction of the pipeline to convey the water. In October 2021 I raised the merits of the Greening Euroa project with the then Minister for Water, as the funding is required for construction of the water infrastructure. The minister’s response to my request for funding was less than enthusiastic for what has become one of Strathbogie shire’s priority projects. The project is being driven by the local Euroa and district community, with the Greening Euroa committee having worked for the past three years to make the project a reality. The committee includes representatives from various sporting clubs, user groups and oval committees of management working together to virtually droughtproof their town. Goulburn Valley Water have also been wonderful supporters of the project and have already installed a standpipe near the Euroa Golf Club to allow access to the treated water.

Strathbogie shire believe that the Greening Euroa project is the first of its kind in Victoria and will completely change the management of water in the town. Born and bred in the local area, the Liberal candidate for Euroa, Brad Hearn, knows the importance of droughtproofing regional communities and is also a big supporter of the project. I urge the minister to support the transformational Greening Euroa initiative and commit funding of $3.8 million to construct the pipeline and complete the project.