August has been a busy month with two weeks of Parliament, plenty of activity in Wentworth and around the country on water issues. In this email newsletter read about:
New Speeches New Media Interviews The Botany aquifer - a new source of water for Sydney? Private Sector Water Discussion Paper New funding to protect unique NSW wetlands Two new water books by Roger Bate and by John Pigram Water Through Efficiencies Tender Herceptin listed on Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnership Youth Pathways Launch More Federal Government Funding for Local Councils in Wentworth Australian Students Prize
Addresss to The Sydney Institute - Water issues from Ancient Rome to modern Australia
I enjoyed researching this speech, which I have illustrated with some of my slides, not least because I discovered two Roman engineers whose experience of Roman water issues sounded remarkably contemporary. And the water problems in Northern China and its looming crisis provides another perspective to our own droughts. More here
Presentation to 11th Annual National Water Conference
"In the Australian water sector there are already various private businesses providing services to government-owned water utilities. These services range from the private sector building and managing single plants, to arrangements where the private sector manages the entire water network within cities.
Given the private sector is already involved and has proven to be a successful manager in a number of locations and circumstances in Australia the question should be asked: “should governments encourage the further expansion of the private sector in providing these services, and if so how would this be done and what are the implications?” More here
I was interviewed by Alan Jones this month on my discussion paper on private sector involvement in water, and other water issues. For my interview transcipt click here
I also participated in Richard Glover's Political Forum, ABC Radio Sydney - for more click here
In years gone by Sydney's water supply was found in the sand beds of the Botany aquifer which runs from the top of Centennial Park across the eastern suburbs and down to Botany Bay. The time may have come for the Botany aquifer to quench Sydney's thirst once more.
I have been fascinated with the potential of this aquifer for some time and last week I invited a number of groundwater experts including Professor Noel Merrick from UTS and Professor Ian Acworth from UNSW to a meeting to discuss the potential of the aquifer with me and the National Water Commission.
While the southern, downstream, end of the aquifer has been polluted, the upstream, northern end is remarkably pristine because it lies under a series of parks and golf courses. The UNSW's bore at the bottom of Centennial Park shows the water quality to be equal to, and in some respects better, than Sydney tap water.
The Botany aquifer is a huge body of wind-blown sand that is very porous and holds a considerable amount of water. It recharges its water supply extremely quickly and is perfectly positioned to catch coastal rainfall. The aquifer filters water through its sands over a number of years, in a natural treatment process.
At the moment a considerable amount of stormwater is diverted into the Centennial Park ponds and through them into the aquifer. The aquifer could be supplemented by diverting more stormwater or indeed introducing treated wastewater, as has been done in other cities. Many people have written to me about their frustration at the sight of stormwater run-off rushing down the gutters. Through an engineering solution this could be redirected into the aquifer area, specifically Centennial Park's ponds, with the added advantage of these ponds being full year round. The aquifer's storage capacity is estimated at 160,000 megalitres.
I am encouraging the NSW Government and Sydney Water to progress the idea of using the aquifer as a secure and sustainable source of additional water and such a project could be a suitable one for consideration of support from the Australian Government Water Fund. This could be a great national demonstration project on the reuse of stormwater and managed aquifer recharge right in the heart of Wentworth and only a few kilometres from the centre of Sydney.
For my media release on the Botany aquifer meeting click here
This month we travelled to the Macquarie Marshes in central west NSW (home of National Party colleague Member for Gwydir John Anderson MP) to announce a major funding grant to hep restore and protect some of Australia's most important wetlands.
The Macquarie Marshes, and the Gwydir Wetlands, located downstream of Moree in the north of NSW have been under severe ecological stress. On John and my visit to the Marshes - which are Ramsar listed and vital to river systems, nesting water birds, and commercial cattle grazing and farming - we announced a $13.4 milllion Commonwealth grant to implement a NSW Wetland Recovery Plan.
The NSW Wetland Recovery Plan will include projects designed to improve knowledge of wetland and environmental water management, improve water flows, and address noxious weeds. Water savings will be made through more efficient infrastructure such as piping open channels, and market mechanisms to recover water. My release on this announcement is here and photos of this trip, where I met with local landowners are here.
Roger Bate, a resident fellow from the American Enterprise Institute in Washington DC has written a book "All the Water in the World" which I launched in Parliament House for the Centre for Independent Studies.
It was a pleasure to launch the book - and not just because the author claims Australia has one of the best water policy frameworks in the world. The book is a serious contribution to the debate on water, examining the concept of a global water crisis, and how countries should best deal with it. Mr Bate makes a solid case for how markets inroduce flexibility, reduce waste and allow fairer distribution. Australia is cited as having a flexible market-oriented policy direction that is helping to direct water to its best uses, with gains for both the economy and the environment.
An extract of "All the Water in the World" is available on the Centre for Independent Studies' website:
My release is here
Earlier this year, frustrated by the slow progress of state governments to put forward water recovery projects for the Murray River, I proposed a unique water tender. The tender will recover water for the Living Murray Initiative – an intergovernmental agreement that aims to return 500 gigalitres of water to the Murray by 2009 - in a way that encourages water savings, while protecting the productive capacity of farming communities.
A draft of the Australian Government's Water Through Efficiency Request for Tenders has now been released for public comment. Releasing the document as a draft provides people with an opportunity to comment on the feasibility of the tender arrangements. Water offered through the tender will need to be from efficiency measures implemented between 1 January 2004 and 30 June 2009, allowing agricultural production to be maintained.
The draft request for tenders identifies types of entitlements in the Southern Murray-Darling Basin that can be offered in the tender. Entitlements would need to be transferred before the end of June 2009. The draft tender also includes an option for people to offer to transfer their entitlement but keep the water associated with that entitlement for a set period of time (but not extending beyond 30 June 2009). A copy of the draft tender document is available on the internet at www.daff.gov.au/watertender. For my media release click here
Many of you have contacted me personally to stress the importance of breast cancer drug Herceptin being included on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and I made several representations to Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott. Happily from 1 October 2006 patients with HER2 positive early stage breast cancer will be able to access Herceptin on the PBS for treatment following surgery. As the most prevalent cancer among women and affecting 14,000 people per year, treatment for early stage breast cancer normally consists of initial surgery, with or without radiotherapy, followed by chemotherapy drugs in combination. The addition of Herceptin to existing treatment regimens will improve current treatment with a significant improvement in freedom from cancer recurrence. It is estimated that approximately 2000 people will commence Herceptin in the first full financial year for the treatment of early breast cancer.
Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnership
McGrath Estate Agents based in Edgecliff and Youth Off the Streets (YOTS) have won an award at the State level of the Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnership. I congratulated them on receiving the award.
YOTS supports chronically homeless and drug-addicted young Australians as they work to turn their lives around. With 20 services, it offers a full continuum of care through the provision of outreach services, crisis refuge, drug and alcohol treatment programs, counselling, accredited high schools, long term residential treatment programs, a semi-independent living and mentoring program, and an aftercare program.
Youth Pathways Launch
On 23 August I launched a key initiative that will assist young people in our community to make a successful transition from school to further education, training or work.
Youth Pathways is part of the Federal Government's $143 million investment in the Career Advice Australia initiative and will provide young Australians aged 13-19 years with wider access to expert career advice and support services.
More Federal Government Funding for Local Councils in Wentworth
Randwick, Waverley and Woollahra Councils will receive Howard Government funding for local roads and the provision of other local government services for 2006/7.
Randwick Council will receive $2,844,953 Waverley Council will receive $1,946,028 and Woollahra Council will receive $1,209,186
This funding helps the councils to provide the high quality services that local communities need and expect of their local council. These grants are untied so Randwick, Waverley and Woollahra Councils can allocate the funds according to local priorities. Funds are used by councils to provide a range of health, community, recreational, cultural and environmental services and to provide and maintain infrastructure such as roads.
Australian Students Prize
Ten Students from Wentworth have been awarded Australian Students Prize for Excellence certificates in national recognition of their outstanding academic achievement in 2005. As well as the certificate, the students have each received a prize of $2000.
On 1 September I will be holding a certificate presentation ceremony in my electorate office for the students and their parents. Look out for photos in my next e-newsletter.
Yours sincerely,
Malcolm Turnbull MP Member for Wentworth