Page 2820 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 17 August 2005
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there has been very significant development within that catchment in recent years. I think that, at least anecdotally or informally, there is a feeling or a concern that the number of dams and bores that have been constructed to serve the large numbers of residents that have moved into that catchment in the last decade really is impacting on the catchment.
But the fact remains, and it is a stark fact, that the Googong Dam, which, when full, has the capacity to provided two-thirds of our total resource—because of the size of the dam, obviously—is currently on 37 per cent. That is the situation at a time when, as I indicated yesterday, the dams in the Cotter catchment have been increasing significantly as the inflow of the past few weeks continues, and continues at a fairly great rate, to the point where our overall supply has increased from about 42 per cent a couple of months ago to 55 per cent today. The same cannot be said for an increase of flows into the Googong Dam. I understand that the Googong Dam, whilst filling slowly, and it is a large dam, has struggled up from, I think, 34 or 35 per cent to 37 per cent and remains today at 37 per cent of its capacity. The Cotter is full, Bendora is at 87 or 88 per cent and Corin is at 79 or 80 per cent.
Those are the facts in relation to the performance of the different dams and the different catchments and it has been in response to that that Actew, with great lateral thinking, innovation and, of course, its usual engineering finesse, has very cleverly created, through existing infrastructure, essentially, with some finetuning, a capacity to move water from a high-performing catchment to a low-performing catchment. I think that it is wonderful—
Mrs Dunne: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. The question I asked was: how does the minister account for the disparity between the 1998 resource as it was recorded and how it is currently recorded in this government’s document? That question is not being answered.
MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Resume your seat, Mrs Dunne.
MR STANHOPE: ActewAGL and their staff, particularly their engineers, are to be congratulated that, through the application of some lateral thinking, through their capacity to think laterally and innovatively, and because of their engineering capacity and skills, they are as of today transferring 20 megalitres a day—
Mr Smyth: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. Under standing order 118 (b), he cannot argue the subject and he is arguing about what Actew is doing. The question, if I can refresh your mind, was: why does your water resources management plan—
MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order. I have already ruled on that, Mr Smyth. You are attempting to follow the same line. The fact of the matter is that a question has been asked and the minister has five minutes to answer and he can continue with his answer to the question.
Mr Smyth: But the minister is talking about what Actew is doing. He was asked a question about the think water, act water strategy.
MR SPEAKER: The minister can answer the question in the way that he wishes. You cannot put—
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