Water pipeline

Mr BARBER (Northern Metropolitan) -- The Greens will support the motion. My only regret is if we receive this business case it will be well after the actual project has been built. Mr Viney is concerned about the length of time that it might tie up people in the public service. If we had received this business case in advance of the project, we could have potentially saved the public billions of dollars when we realised -- as I am sure the business case will demonstrate -- that this project is a financial lemon.

The Greens have voted to block water from the Goulburn Valley being sent to Melbourne via the North-South pipeline, in a vote in State Parliament yesterday.

Mr BARBER (Northern Metropolitan) -- I share the minister's thesis that moving this motion at this point in time puts The Nationals in a very interesting position, but from my vantage point I have watched the government trying to beat The Nationals at their own game in relation to irrigated agriculture. You can go back over the span of years to look at the Kennett era reforms to water ownership, and from that distance you will see a strictly incremental improvement for any Victorian river. From that perspective I am keen to take every opportunity I can to deal myself into the game if it means an outcome can be delivered that improves the situation of a river, let alone prevents detriment occurring to a river. Right up until recent days, and including through the rollout of this project itself, detriment and benefit have been offered in equal amounts.

Opposition tries to disrupt pipeline operation - ABC

Labor dodges Senate vote to block pipeline - The Age

Garrett stalls food-bowl works - The Weekly Times

Peter Garrett will require a study of the environmental impacts* of Goulburn Valley irrigation upgrades six months after the Greens called for him to intervene.

City to get river flows - Weekly Times

Eco group backs Brumby on pipeline water rights - The Age

North-south pipe laid, but nothing to flow for it - The Age