WINGECARRIBEE councillors say their relationship with Goulburn Mulwaree Council is being put in jeopardy over a dispute about the Highlands Source Project (HSP).
With Goulburn Mulwaree councillor Neil Penning looking on from the gallery, councillors at Wednesday’s general meeting said they had been kept in the dark over Goulburn’s plans to sell water from the HSP to third parties.
Cr Larry Whipper’s motion accusing Goulburn council of “profiteering” and “deceiving” the people of Wingecarribee and Shoalhaven (from where the water initially comes from) was passed.
“All the way this has been a debate about emergency water supply for Goulburn,” Cr Whipper said.
We were consistently told this would be for drought relief.
“I vehemently oppose (selling the water to third parties) because it was not what we agreed to.
“I’m flabbergasted that some people have been accusing us of being asleep at the wheel. We have been very vigilant.”
Crs Halstead, Arkwright, Mauger, Stranger and Clark agreed asking ratepayers to write to the federal government with their concerns.
Cr Duncan Gair, however, disagreed saying he could see no problem with what Goulburn was proposing because “it is not our water and we didn’t pay for the pipe”.
"I say good on them. Their ratepayers will be thanking them for being pro-active and reducing the $75 (water levy) impost."
Both he and Cr McLaughlin voted against the motion. A publicly available document released by Goulburn Mulwaree Council and dated May 2010 stated "The HSP will provide secure water supply for Goulburn, including during major droughts." "There is a social benefit to Goulburn as well as a potential economic benefit," the document said.
"Employment generated by the project, both directly and indirectly, will bring significant benefits, particularly as new businesses are attracted to the region due to the opportunity water security offers."
The document raised a few eyebrows in the gallery, with people questioning whether or not Wingecarribee Council did know or should have known that the HSP was more than just an emergency pipeline.
The council resolved to write to Goulburn Mulwaree, expressing concern that selling water to third party users might affect the "security of supply from Wingecarribee Dam".
It will also seek comment from Goulburn MP Pru Goward, Kiama MP Gareth Ward and Shoalhaven Council about the approval process and government funding arrangements.
Goulburn Mulwaree Mayor Geoff Kettle declined to comment in detail. "I've sought an urgent meeting with the mayor (Ken Halstead) on Monday and he's agreed to meet me, the deputy mayors and the general managers to solve the current controversy." Following the Wingecarribee Shire meeting, Cr Penning said the extremity of opinion was the problem.
“A couple of facts need to be sorted out from all the friction and the only way to do that is to have the mayors face to face in a meeting,” he said.
Asked whether he believed Wingecarribee was sufficiently informed, Cr Penning said it was hard to tell because the council appeared to be focusing on the months leading up to the Department of Planning’s approval for the pipeline.
“Were they not informed or are they just ignorant?” he said. Asked after the meeting why the Shire had not raised concerns earlier, given the formal correspondence and environmental assessment advising of the pipeline’s changed status, Cr Whipper said:
“Irrespective of the claims Geoff Kettle is making on the changed status, we were consistently told that it was a drought augmentation measure and a back up water supply for the people of Goulburn.”
He said Cr Kettle’s claims were “irrelevant” because Goulburn Mulwaree had broken a “good faith” agreement.” Had they know water was to be made available to third party users, it never would have agreed.
Asked what difference this made when the Sydney Catchment Authority owned the water, Cr Whipper claimed it was a moral issue that in the words of Cr Arkwright had “fractured trust.”
Cr Jim Mauger sat on the Highland Source Working Party. Cr Whipper said he did recall the changed status arising in meetings, but not third party users.
Cr Whipper also suggested Goulburn Mulwaree Council had “done deals behind closed doors” to secure emergency pipeline funding when it knew others would use the infrastructure.
However, the Goulburn Post is aware of state and federal government correspondence acknowledging the pipeline is part of a wider water strategy.
Email a friend