Media Releases

Member for Shepparton, Jeanette Powell today alerted small businesses they are now eligible for rebates on water efficient products under the Coalition’s Government plan to help reduce potable water use.

Mrs Powell said the new rebates are, for the first time, available to small business and deliver on the Coalition’s election commitment to invest $40 million in rebates on water efficient products for homes, for gardens and now, for small business.

“Small businesses with 20 or fewer employees are eligible to receive rebates of up to $2000 on a range of water-efficient products,” Mrs Powell said.

“Rebates are available for items such as commercial glass washers, dishwashers and washing machines, high pressure cleaners and dual flush toilets.

“This will encourage more small businesses, including restaurants, laundromats and car washes, to become more water efficient.

“This announcement follows the extension of the rebate program to households not connected to reticulated water supplies - households which needed it most.

“This program is expected to provide up to 5000 rebates for small businesses and up to 30,000 home and garden rebates over the next 12 months.

“The former Labor Government left Victorian households and businesses facing soaring water bills and the new rebates program will encourage and assist in making much needed savings.

“It is great to see our water storages nearing capacity, but we still need to be water efficient now and into the future,” Mrs Powell said.

For more information about the program and products eligible for a rebate visit www.water.vic.gov.au/rebates

The Victorian Coalition Government has boosted rebates on water-efficient products and made them available to all Victorian households from July 1,” Member for Shepparton, Jeanette Powell said today.

Mrs Powell said the Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition Government has doubled funding for rebates on water-efficient products to $40 million over the next four years.

“Rebates for water-efficient products are now available to help all Victorians – including those on non-reticulated systems,” Mrs Powell said.

“The decision to extend the rebate to all households, not just those in areas with reticulated water supplies has removed a long standing anomaly.“

The former Labor Government refused rebates to people without a reticulated water supply as they believed they didn’t need to be encouraged to save water.

“They penalised the very people who relied on tanks for their water supply.

“These rebates will help all households make great savings through the installation of a rainwater tank or by purchasing water-efficient appliances.”

Mrs Powell said up to $1000 is available for rainwater tanks that are designed and manufactured to Australian standards and connected to a house’s toilet and laundry.

“Rebates are also available on a new range of appliances including washing machines and pool covers,” Mrs Powell said.

“There is a $150 rebate for those who install the most water-efficient washing machines and $200 on the cost of pool covers.

“These are great incentives to help us become smarter with our water use,” Mrs Powell said.

For more information about rebates available under the Living Victoria Water Rebate Program, contact your local water authority or visit www.water.vic.gov.au/rebates.

Frustration and anger from irrigators, business people and the broader community were common reactions at the Murray-Darling Basin Authority community information sessions in Shepparton yesterday, Member for Shepparton Jeanette Powell said.
Mrs Powell attended the second session along with about 600 people and said most people she spoke to complained there were not many answers provided to the questions asked.
“It was very frustrating to hear ridiculous assumptions being made about job losses and reduction to agricultural production, which have been grossly underestimated, when no research has been done into the social and economic impact of the proposal,” Mrs Powell said.
“I asked the question at the meeting what research had been conducted to establish the figures on job losses and agricultural production losses.
“The job losses will be far, far greater than the report’s estimate of 800 and the estimated $803 million a year reduction in agricultural production does not take into account the flow-on loss of revenue to businesses and services in the community.”
In answer to Mrs Powell’s question, the authority acknowledged that research into the social and economic impacts had not been broad enough and further research needed to be commissioned.
Mrs Powell said she was most concerned with a disclaimer in the report stating: “The Murray-Darling Basin Authority makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Material in this volume is based on the latest information available at the time of writing.”
“The authority can not even guarantee that information they have gathered and collated is correct, which is a huge concern,” Mrs Powell said.
“And if they have made assumptions based on the most recent information, why is there no recognition or credits for allocation of water commitments to the north-south pipeline or irrigation improvements that have already been made?”
“This report is full of flaws and the research that has gone into it has been woeful.”
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority has asked for comments and submissions from the public to be made via their website before the end of November.
“I encourage anyone who wants to comment on the report to go to the website www.mdba.gov.au and make your views known,” Mrs Powell said.
“Let’s send a strong message to the authority about the real and devastating impacts this proposed basin plan will have on the Goulburn Murray region.”

State Member for Shepparton, Jeanette Powell is encouraging irrigators in the Shepparton district to attend the Murray–Darling Basin Authority’s community information session in Shepparton next week.
Mrs Powell will be attending one of the three-hour community information sessions which will outline the proposed Basin Plan that will manage the water resources of the Murray–Darling Basin for the future.
“It is important that irrigators from the Goulburn Valley attend the sessions so they are informed about the impacts of the proposal on their water supplies,” Mrs Powell said.
“Any reduction in water will affect the whole community, so I also urge business and the community to attend and show their support for our irrigators.
“The Authority will settle on an exact amount to be cut from irrigators next year, but it is believed water entitlements will be reduced by between 27 per cent and 37 per cent.
“Even if it is at 27 per cent, this would be a disaster for the Goulburn Valley.
“By reducing the amount of water available to the irrigators of Australia’s food bowl we will see the cost of food increase as production surely must fall.
“Water and irrigators are the life blood of our region and this decision will cost jobs and threaten families which have been farming in the Goulburn Valley for generations.
“Farmers will be forced to leave the land, making it harder for those that are left.
“Importantly, there is a flow on effect as when we lose families from our small communities we lose important services such as kindergartens, schools and shops,” Mrs Powell said.
Shepparton community information sessions
Date: 12 October
Venue: Goulburn Valley Hotel, 223 High Street
Time: 10am-1pm & 2pm-5pm
Details: One session will be held in the morning and one in the afternoon. Both sessions will be run to the same format.
RSVPs to 1800 230 067(free).

Member for Shepparton, Jeanette Powell criticised the Brumby government in Parliament this week for releasing extra water at a time when the Goulburn River was already in flood.
In a Notice of Motion Mrs Powell condemned the Brumby government for releasing 430 megalitres of water into the Goulburn River which was already at major flood level, thereby increasing the risk to the community and property and calls on the incompetent Brumby Government to cease its mismanagement of Victoria’s water.
Mrs Powell said the Victorian Government was releasing 430 megalitres a day from Eildon Dam into the Goulburn River during the height of the recent flood crisis and this was exacerbating flooding along the Goulburn.
“Melbourne Water was taking 300 ML per day to be piped off to Melbourne via the North-South Pipeline, while the other 130 ML was environmental flow,” Mrs Powell said.
“With the amount of water that was pouring into the Goulburn River last week, it is defies logic that extra water would be released at such a crucial time.
“The release of this water created extra pressure on an already swollen Goulburn River which then added to the anxiety of the residents downstream.
“This incompetent government increased the risk of damage to property right along the Goulburn as it continues its mismanagement of water in Victoria,” Mrs Powell said.

Member for Shepparton, Jeanette Powell, condemned the Brumby government over its lack of support to country Victoria in Parliament last week.
In a Notice of Motion Mrs Powell condemned the tired, out of touch Brumby government for its inability to support and provide leadership to rural councils who are struggling with small populations, large geographic areas and aging infrastructure.
“As Shadow Minister for Local Government, I have met with over 30 rural and regional councils and heard their concerns about State government cost shifting and the impact it is having,” Mrs Powell said.
“Small rural communities are hurting as they struggle to keep rates down while maintaining assets and providing services.
“The recent closure of Kirwans Bridge by Strathbogie Shire Council is the tip of the iceberg as rural councils struggle to maintain their public assets.”
Mrs Powell also criticised the government for sending much needed water from the Food Bowl of Australia to Melbourne thereby massively increasing water costs and decreasing availability and for exposing country Victorians to risk due to shortages of police, paramedics and hospital beds.
“The Brumby government has relied on flawed information to build the North-South pipeline to pump desperately needed irrigation water from the Goulburn system to Melbourne,” Mrs Powell said.
“The Auditor-General report, released last month, found the government’s water savings were implemented without proper costing, proper considerations of alternatives or proof the projects were feasible.
“Now the Government is going to extraordinary lengths to block the release of documents that show the original Food Bowl Project business case had failed to achieve the promised water savings.
Mrs Powell also said “It is outrageous that country Victoria still has a shortage of police, paramedics and hospital beds.
“The Labor Government has had nearly eleven years and more than $300 billion in revenue to improve the situation.
“These problems have not just happened overnight but are the result of years of Labor’s flawed policies and neglect,” Mrs Powell said.

State Member for Shepparton, Jeanette Powell, moved Notices of Motion in Parliament this week condemning the Brumby government for its mismanagement of the Food Bowl Modernisation Project and the north-south pipeline.
This followed the damning Auditor-General’s report on ‘IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS‘ tabled in Parliament on Wednesday.
The audit examined how effectively, efficiently and economically irrigation-related programs have been planned and managed to achieve intended outcomes.
The audit found that:
• Victorian government decisions were poorly informed, which in some cases has affected the achievement of outcomes
• the business case was formalised two years after the decision to proceed with the project;
• water savings and cost assumptions had not been verified;
• the technology had not proven itself;
• the feasibility of the project was unknown;
• expected water savings had not been achieved;
• the effectiveness of the modernisation was uncertain;
• the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) had ‘created’ its own set of water inflow forecast selectively using years 2004 to 2006 rather than the last ten years, as previously used
• the proposal submitted by irrigators (the former Food Bowl Alliance) was not given to the DSE, including the Office for Water, to review and assess, despite that agency having both the expertise and responsibility for irrigation projects.
At the Auditor-General’s briefing earlier this week, Mrs Powell asked if the proposal by the irrigators had been scrutinized by the Auditor-General.
“I was advised the proposal was unable to be scrutinized as the government agencies asked to produce it were unable to locate it,” Mrs Powell said.
“This important document should have been put under close scrutiny and it is a concern that government agencies were unable or unwilling to produce it.
Mrs Powell also condemned the Brumby government for deliberately deceiving Goulburn Murray irrigators by claiming false water savings which can now only be achieved by social engineering and partial closure of the Goulburn-Murray water system.
”It is estimated that 60 per cent of the system will be either closed down or handed back to the irrigators to bear the cost themselves,” said Mrs Powell.
“This effectively privatises some parts of the GM irrigation system.”