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Community facilities Sport and Recreation | February 03, 2016

Friends of Lake Wallace – Winning idea

A community proposal to extend a water pipeline to Harrow, Edenhope and Apsley has attracted sufficient community support to become a 'winning idea', as part of the Government's OurSay project to allocate $10 million in drought relief funds.

The West Wimmera pipeline proposal attracted overwhelming support from Victorians, gaining a whopping 5,182 votes in less than a week.

Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy MP was very impressed with the strong community which developed the concept.

"I recently met with Friends of Lake Wallace, and the passion and energy that they have for this project to drought-proof the region is to be commended," Ms Kealy said.

The winning idea, lodged by Trevor Domaschenz of Friends of Lake Wallace, included securing a potable water supply to the region, improving water access to farmers with stock, in addition to consideration of environmental, recreational and social health and wellbeing impacts of providing a secure water supply to the region.

However, Ms Kealy is concerned that the Andrews Labor Government will not fund the project, even though the Premier and Minister for Agriculture, Jaala Pulford MLC had promised to fund all winning ideas.

"Unfortunately the Andrews Labor Government has a terrible reputation of saying one thing and then doing something else. I am deeply concerned that even though this idea has been announced as 'winning' on the Government's own website, Labor's narrow vision for country Victoria means the money may never flow,” Ms Kealy said.

"Our drought stricken communities deserve better than to be left high and dry with a winning idea and no funds to make it a reality.

"The Andrews Labor Government must listen to our community, keep their promise to our drought affected communities and immediately release funding to all winning ideas,” she said.