Wednesday, 19 June 2024

North East Water

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (12:15): (568) My question is for the minister for housing and water. Local governments, builders and developers in Victoria’s north-east have all raised concerns about the lack of water infrastructure to support new housing in their communities. As many as 500 lots in the Kiewa–Tangambalanga area cannot be developed until the sewerage is upgraded and the water infrastructure improved to deliver water at a reasonable pressure. Rutherglen has five applications for development that are hamstrung by North East Water. One will only be partially connected to reticulated water and sewerage, leaving the remaining lots to rely on rainwater and septic tanks. Wodonga is equally stymied. As an example, an application for a 300-lot subdivision on the fringe of the city was limited to 100 lots by the water authority. Minister, what are you doing to ensure North East Water can fast-track the delivery of infrastructure to ensure new housing can be delivered to combat the housing crisis in north-east Victoria?

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (12:16): Thank you, Ms Lovell, for that question and for your interest in the intersection I think between housing and water. You referred to that at the outset of your question, so I will try to attach my answer to both of those portfolios.

Wendy Lovell: No, just answer about the infrastructure in north-east Victoria.

Harriet SHING: Yes – through you, President – to deliver on the housing outcomes and the construction of housing. To assist you, Ms Lovell – and again I am really happy to provide you with any further information in your supplementary – I will approach this from two separate angles. We have got at the moment around $1 billion in housing infrastructure from the Commonwealth that will be used to assist with trunk infrastructure. That includes those essential service connections as a consequence of those negotiations that were reached with the Commonwealth before the most recent federal budget was announced. In addition to that, we have a range of initiatives that are about trunk infrastructure. So whether that is the Ararat pilot or whether it is other work being undertaken –

Wendy Lovell: This is Wodonga, north-east Victoria.

Harriet SHING: Yes. Again, I am giving you examples of what is being done. Ms Lovell, what we do need essentially in the first instance around moving from sewerage into an integrated pipe network is the willingness and the buy-in from communities who will be transferring from one system to the other. This involves a range of fees associated with the delivery of that pipeline infrastructure, and it is also about making sure that we can align that work further with the objectives of expansion.

The north-east region is going to benefit from about $391 million in new and upgraded water and wastewater infrastructure in that current price period of 2018 to 26. That is a really significant increase off the back of the initial investment of about $141 million, when prices were in fact set. North East Water has indicated support for growth in Kiewa and Tangambalanga subject to funding. This was not originally included in the 2018 to 26 plan, but in this year’s budget North East Water has also identified different infrastructure priorities that are more critical at this time. We are in a situation that is incredibly dynamic, particularly off the back of floods and large-scale inundations. The ‘build back better’ and ‘no regrets’ work that is happening, as you would well know, Ms Lovell, is a big part of that. The new proposed timing on deferred investment for stage 2 of Kiewa has been until 2026–27, and we are also making sure that that aligns with the first year of the next price submission, which will enable that engagement to occur with communities. I am really happy to make sure that you are part of that work so that this is something which, again, communities have the relevant level of information about.

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (12:19): Minister, this problem is largely seen as the result of a lack of action by North East Water and the Labor government over the past decade. Will you implement an audit of water infrastructure in the area covered by North East Water and fund any necessary upgrades it identifies to support delivering more housing?

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (12:19): Again, Ms Lovell, we have come back to the intersection between water infrastructure and housing. I am really amenable to helping you through further –

Wendy Lovell interjected.

Harriet SHING: Again, Ms Lovell, you have asked me a question in relation to both. I am assisting you with information in relation to both. North East Water has indicated support for its growth projects in funding, and we do see that the budget process has increased that funding. It is $391 million, and that is an increase from $141 million.

Wendy Lovell interjected.

Harriet SHING: Ms Lovell, we are in the process of developing staged outcomes for water authorities and growing communities that meet needs within the envelopes that we have available and accommodating the challenges that have arisen because of infrastructure demands and pressure in response to a whole range of challenges that you see and know and experience full well because of your role in the community. The floods, for example, have had a significant impact on this work. I am looking forward, though, to continuing that work around long-term funding and assistance.