NSW: Iemma defends 'essential' desal plant drilling

AAP General News (Australia)
04-22-2008
NSW: Iemma defends 'essential' desal plant drilling

SYDNEY, April 22 AAP - Tunnelling in Sydney's south for construction of the city's
desalination plant is "essential", Premier Morris Iemma says, amid calls for the work
to be suspended.

Federal Liberal MP Scott Morrison said residents at Kurnell had endured days of drilling
noise and severe vibrations, and a silt plume was evident in Botany Bay.

Mr Iemma said today the work to build the desalination plant's pipeline was delivering
on a government commitment.

"The government is off delivering what it committed to, securing the city's future
of which desal is one of many projects," he told reporters.

"These infrastructure projects ... are essential for the future of the city, and indeed
the future of the state.

"If anyone has any particular concerns they can be addressed through the contractor
and through the government agencies that manage these contracts."

Mr Morrison made a public call today for the work to be stopped until residents concerns
were addressed.

"Today residents protested again after four, five days of silt spills ... drilling
and vibration noise," he told Fairfax Radio Network.

"The work must stop until the government, Sydney Water and the contractors can answer
their questions about how their homes and how their bay are going to be protected in the
future."

AAP dr/wjf/maur/bwl

KEYWORD: DESAL IEMMA

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