Protest at Holding’s office

By Lia Bichel
ONLY 40 people gathered outside of Water Minister Tim Holding’s office in Springvale to protest against the Wonthaggi desalination plant on Friday.
Protesters gathered just before noon and expressed their disappointment through music, chants, and posters in hopes that the government would address their concerns and consider various alternatives.
Campaigning co-ordinator Cam Walker said he was pleased with the protest turnout and the support from Springvale residents.
“I was actually happy with the amount of people who turned out,” he said. “To be honest, I was surprised at how enthusiastic everyone was. There were people honking their horns at us, locals stopped to converse, and no-one refused a lobby postcard. We had a warm welcome.”
Protester Paul Bickerstaff, from Wonthaggi, argued that the toxins generated from the desalination plant were harmful to human health and would lead to the extinction of local sea life.
“The desalination plant will use an enormous amount of energy, equal to 333,000 more cars on the road,” he said.
“The chemicals generated are extremely dangerous to our health. It will pump toxins into the sea and eventually kill off all the sea life in the Bass Strait.”
Mr Bickerstaff said he was also concerned about the cost of the desalination plant.
“The test plant isn’t even going yet and the government is already $60 million over budget,” he said.
Mr Walker said the group raised concerns about the desalination plant, but also offered solutions for a sustainable water future, such as support tanks, and retrofitting dual fitting toilets.
“We also acknowledge that the government is doing a lot of hard work to secure our water for the future, but they just need to rethink their strategies, and consider alternatives that are more sustainable for our environment,” he said.
Mr Holding did not address the angry crowd.