Critical Times

The biggest crowd seen in the Moonta Town Hall in 50 years turned up last night to discuss a proposed desalination plant to water a new Greg Norman designed golf course in the Yorke Peninsula town of Port Hughes.

The meeting, attracting over 300 people, was organised by the local Community Action Group with support from Greens MLC and planning lawyer Mark Parnell.

“The Local Council has well and truly been put on notice: the people who elected them don’t want to be kept in the dark about major changes to their community,” Mr Parnell said.

“The developer and the Copper Coast Council can’t just float the idea of a desal plant on community-owned land to service a private development and not expect the community to ask a few questions.

“Last night the local community showed very clearly they want a greater say, earlier in the planning process,” he said.

As well as presentations from Greens MLC Mark Parnell, and Don Morley from the Community Action Group, Flinders University marine expert Dr Toby Bolton spoke about the possible impact of desalination on the sensitive waters of the Spencer Gulf.

“Dr Bolton quite rightly put the Dunes desal proposal in the context of the whole Spencer Gulf,” Mr Parnell said. “If every town and development along the Gulf coast is looking towards desal as a solution to water shortages, on top of the massive desal plant at the top of the gulf to service the Roxby mine expansion, the cumulative impact on the marine environment will be immense.

“Last night’s meeting shows that local democracy is alive and well on the Copper Coast. It’s now over to the developer and the Council to treat the community with more respect,” Mr Parnell said.