Why the SEQ referendum is a farce ...

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Only short-term support

2 December 2006

Southeast Queensland's mayors are largely supportive of plans to put recycled water into dams, but some would rather not drink it forever.

A vote of 19 council areas will be held in March to gauge public attitudes to recycled water, though the specific question remains undetermined.

If a yes vote is successful, recycled water will be added to the southeast's supply from 2009.
But if not, the Government can still turn to recycled water in an "emergency" situation.

Premier Peter Beattie yesterday suggested 10 per cent as a reasonable proportion of recycled water to be permanently added to drinking supplies if the plebiscite is passed.

But a survey of the 18 members of the Council of Mayors reveals that a third would prefer recycled water only in the case of emergency.

The majority – nine mayors, mostly urban – supported the concept, although many wanted it to go to agriculture and industry first.

Three mayors would not reveal their position: Yvonne Chapman (Pine Rivers); John Brent (Boonah); Joe Natoli (Maroochy).

The Courier-Mail survey found the question of recycled water was far more complicated than the simple Yes/No referendum proposed by the Beattie Government in March.

In an unusual move, the result of the public plebiscite would be non-binding on the government and the No vote would be considered a Yes vote in the case of an emergency where there was no other water option.

That prompted some, such as Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke, to say the question appeared to be so confusing voters should put an "asterisk" next to their Yes vote to notify of conditions.

"The asterisk should indicate that I am voting 'Yes' provided the Government can guarantee it is safe," he said. "But I don't believe this is an issue that should be decided by a popular vote. It is either safe to be put into the water supply or it isn't."

Noosa Mayor Bob Abbott said he had been running a pro-recycled water campaign for six months.

But Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman and Redland Mayor Don Seccombe said they would support it in an emergency and only after other alternatives were tried.

"I would prefer to see the recycled water going to industry first to free up drinking water," Cr Newman said.

Many mayors said they would not try to direct public opinion one way or another unless their council voted to take a stand.

Logan Mayor Graham Able said his council would consider the issue within a fortnight.

"I don't have any hangups over recycled provided it is properly treated, but I won't be telling people what decision to make," he said.

Many rural mayors opposed the concept altogether but conceded it might be necessary.

"Our belief in Gatton is really simple," Steve Jones said. "At this stage we believe recycled water should be used principally for agriculture and industry."

Esk Mayor Graeme Lehmann agreed but conceded "you can't put your head in the sand".
"I will vote the way my community wants me to," he said.

Beaudesert Mayor Joy Drescher said she would accept it as a last resort but reserved her opinion until she saw the referendum.

"The devil is always in the detail," she said. "I would rather see it used for purposes that would not offend people."

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said a strong education program was needed.

"It is not the history of the water, it is about the quality of the water," he said.

"Let's hope this whole debate is based on facts and not on emotions."

Premier Peter Beattie has suggested 10 per cent as a reasonable proportion of recycled water to be added to drinking supplies if a plebiscite is successful next year.
...

He further said the plebiscite question might include the percentage supply, but again the public opinion could be subject to change in an "Armageddon situation".

An education campaign is expected to be launched by the Water Commission ahead of the vote, with Mr Beattie claiming the vote should be based on science.

"We have to recognise that there is a yes and no position on this and we have to be fair," he said.

"While I don't agree with the no case, and neither does Anna (Bligh), they have a right to have their argument put to the people and that is why the independent body, the Water Commission, will put those arguments."

Opposition leader Jeff Seeney said the Coalition would determine its view on recycled water at its next joint meeting.

But he claimed the "drip feed" of information about recycled water from the Government was designed to deflect attention away from the Gordon Nuttall loans scandal.

"I'm very sceptical about the whole recycled water issue," he said.

"It's a political diversion. The whole issue is being made up as Peter Beattie goes along.

"Something as profound as drinking recycled sewerage needs to be planned a lot more extensively than this obliviously has.

"We've got no detail ... it's a different proposition to what we had a couple of weeks ago."

And it was also announced yesterday that a pipeline would be built from Lake Wivenhoe to supply Toowoomba and surrounding shires with emergency water.

See - Recycled water referendum is a farce.