The Howard Government has been dragged kicking and screaming to support Queensland’s Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme.

This afternoon the Federal Government announced it would commit to the project.

This is a project Federal Labor and Queensland families have been calling on for some time.

More than two months ago, (Sunday 18/2/07) Federal Labor Leader, Kevin Rudd and I announced a Labor Government would:

“Commit $408 million from the Australian Water Fund to support the Queensland Government's Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme.”

We said at the time it was extraordinary that since the $2 billion Australian Water Fund was set up in 2004, more than half of the funds remain unallocated.

Australia’s water crisis hasn’t occurred overnight, and it shouldn’t have taken an election year to get a response from the Howard Government.

Dominated by climate change sceptics, the Howard Government has been complacent about the water crisis and climate change.

The Howard Government has held back important funding for urban water projects, but a Federal Labor Government will support practical, nation building projects to help deal with Australia’s water crisis in our major coastal cities where 17 million Australians live.

Labor believes the Commonwealth has an important leadership role in ensuring each and every Australian – whether they are in rural or urban Australia – has a sustainable supply of water.

That’s why Labor will work in partnership with State Governments to end the blame game over water and get things done.