North Wanneroo water and Nowergup Rd election issues

SECURING future water supplies for North Wanneroo growers and a call to connect Nowergup Rd to the Mitchell Fwy extension have been election issues in the Wanneroo electorate.

According to North Wanneroo Residents Association chairman Mark Zagar growers in the area will go broke if WA Labor gets to introduce its proposed 10 per cent water cuts.

Mr Zagar also said the extension of Lukin Dr to Nowergup Rd and connecting it to the Mitchell Fwy was necessary to stimulate the economy and jobs in the area.

At a North Wanneroo Residents Association meeting held in Wanneroo last year the extension of Lukin Dr to the Nowergup-Wanneroo Rd intersection, which would cut through Neerabup National Park, was cited as necessary to have another east-west link in case of emergencies such as bushfires.

Wanneroo MLA Sabine Winton said the McGowan government was satisfied that Romeo Rd (once it was completed) and Hester Ave would provide enough east-west connectivity so the Lukin Dr to Nowergup-Wanneroo Rd extension was not necessary.

Ms Winton said she was not in favour of fragmenting the Neerabup National Park.

She said she had spoken to many residents in the Nowergup area and they were all in favour of protecting the national park.

Even when she held a coffee catch up at Ocean View Tavern last year no-one highlighted a need for extending Lukin Dr with her.

The only person to have raised the issue was Mr Zagar.

But Mr Zagar said every business owner and truck driver in the area as well as most residents he had spoken to supported extending Nowergup Rd and connecting it to the Mitchell Fwy.

“It would be the only freeway interchange in the metro without a connecting road east – why on earth wouldn’t you extend it,’’ he said.

The association also represents those who hold water licences in Neerabup, Nowergup and Carabooda.

Today Ms Winton also hit out at the Liberal’s election promise to spend $85 million to expand the North Wanneroo horticulture precinct with a new 20GL water treatment facility for irrigation.

She said the Liberals’ concept appeared to be based on early work by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development that did not factor in capital or operating costs that would be borne by the Water Corporation or the cost of distributing water to existing growers.

On March 3 when Opposition leader Zak Kirkup launched the water policy he said the Liberals wanted to stop Labor’s meanspirited 10 per cent cuts to water allocations in the North Wanneroo area, which had been brought about because Labor had refused to invest in water infrastructure.

But Ms Winton said the Liberals were once again peddling a half-baked concept, without any detail or proper costings.

“True capital costs are likely to be double the Liberals’ cost estimate, with the cost of water to growers up to four times the price they are quoting,’’ she said.

Ms Winton referenced WA Labor’s promise that a re-elected McGowan Government would continue to back horticulture in North Wanneroo, allocating $750,000 to guarantee the long-term viability of local growers through improved technology and water efficiency.

The February 22 announcement said to assist growers in managing the drying climate, the McGowan Government would establish a $600,000 water efficiency infrastructure and technology grants program if re-elected.

“Growers will be able to apply for grants of up to $30,000 to install technology to improve water systems and increase water use efficiency,’’ the election promise said.

“The program will support improving the design of current water systems, implementing soil and crop sensor technology and soil amendments such as using clay or compost to increase soil moisture holding capacity.

“Installing protected cropping facilities such as glass houses would also be eligible under the program.

“Local growers could also access up to $5000 to engage qualified professionals to assess the opportunities for irrigation systems and soil amendments on their properties.

“WA Labor has also committed $150,000 to support the City of Wanneroo’s local planning processes to maintain and protect agriculture in North Wanneroo consistent with the North Wanneroo agriculture and water taskforce recommendations.’’

Ms Winton said the previous Liberal-National government had proposed a 25 per cent groundwater allocation cut in 2016, which the McGowan Government revised down to 10 per cent from 2028 to provide certainty for local growers.

“That 25 per cent cut was the Liberal Party’s policy when Paul Miles was a Cabinet Minister and the local member,’’ she said.

Mr Miles who is running against Ms Winton in the State Election said when he was in government the department had been doing some consultation and there had been a suggestion there might have to be a water cut.

But the previous Liberal-National government had not had a policy to reduce water to farmers and it was the Liberal-National government which had paved the way for the water taskforce to be set up.

He said it was the Labor party which had announced a water cut of 10 per cent.