Thursday, 18 June 2026

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Ambulance Services, Minister for Health, Minister for Water) (12:08): Only Labor is investing in water security and projects that deliver sustainable water for our farmers, and it was really fantastic to join my good friends and colleagues the member for Bass Jordan Crugnale, the member for Pakenham Emma Vulin, Labor candidate for Pakenham Alessandra Soliven and Senator Lisa Darmanin last week to turn the sod on the Western Port recycled water scheme. This project will deliver 49 kilometres of pipeline to carry up to 4 billion litres of class A quality recycled water to local farmers. It will support farmers and growers across the south-east in Pakenham South, Cora Lynn, Vervale, Catani, Iona, Garfield, Bayles and Tynong, creating jobs, preserving precious drinking water and bolstering resilience for our farmers against a drying climate, which is essential. This is the sort of infrastructure project that the Liberals would never engage in. In fact they have walked away from similar projects in the past. They would say it is too difficult, too hard to manage, just like the desalination plant that they referred to as a white elephant – unnecessary and idle. But we placed the maximum order this year; 150 gigalitres are now flowing into our storages, and without it we would be on permanent water restrictions and Geelong storages would be under 10 per cent

With this order the desalination plant will have delivered two-thirds of a trillion litres of water into our storages since coming into operation. Even when members of the Liberal Party opposite turn on their taps, they will be getting desalinated water, and only Labor will invest in the necessary infrastructure that Victorians need to ensure water security in a drying climate. From the desalination plant to water projects like Western Port, we are really determined to continue to deliver on the sorts of things that make a difference, not just now but for future generations, not just now but for future climate change and for a growing population. We will do this not alongside and in collaboration and partnership with those opposite but despite them.