NSW Labor - We couldn't believe it when Debnam said people should drink recycled water ...

An excerpt from the Sydney Morning Herald looking back at the NSW state election and Peter Debnam's ill-fated policy of trying to force people to drink recycled water:

22 September 2007

The election campaign was framed as a referendum on desalination versus recycling after the then Opposition leader, Peter Debnam, came up with his own proposal to have sewage water available to recycle and put in the drinking water supply from Prospect Reservoir, should dam levels fall.

The Greens and environmental groups also vigorously fought the desal option, arguing for a combination of recycling, rainwater tanks and conservation.

One government figure involved in the decision to press ahead with desalination at the time reflects that the election timing had everything to do with the decision.

"We couldn't just go to the election without a water strategy or a policy or plan to provide fresh drinking water," he says.

"Some were swayed by the green argument on recycling but at the end of the day, the call was made. When Debnam got up and said they wanted to have people drink recycled water we couldn't believe it."

Iemma announced he would sign the desalination contract after the election, joking that "no premier worth his salt" would do otherwise in the circumstances.

See - Faced with a future when the rain no longer comes.