
Dubbo will be at the top of the list for water infrastructure funding should a Labor government be elected, NSW Shadow Minister for Water Rose Jackson has said.
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Ms Jackson said Labor will look at funding water infrastructure across regional NSW to secure safe drinking water for our regional towns.
"Dubbo will be top of that list, along with places who have also experienced repeated water quality issues and desperately need infrastructure upgrades," she said.
Ms Jackson wasn't impressed when she first heard about the issues that have been plaguing Dubbo residents for the past 12 months.
"It is outrageous that a regional city as large and growing as Dubbo should be experiencing ongoing, serious water quality issues," Ms Jackson said.
She said Labor would look to partner with Dubbo Regional Council to develop specific strategies to support Dubbo and surrounding communities like Wellington, to ensure they have a stable and reliable source of clean drinking water.
"I have had some important preliminary conversations with Dubbo Regional Council via Central West regional council gatherings, but have not been briefed directly on what the water infrastructure needs are," she said.
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"I have made clear supporting regional towns to have secure drinking water is one of my top priorities, and I really look forward to that detailed conversation with the Dubbo community."
Whether or not Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders would provide funding for the John Gilbert Water Treatment Plant if he was elected into power again remains uncertain, but he has said the NSW government provides ongoing technical and financial support to councils.
In a short response provided when asked about the ongoing water issues Dubbo has experienced in the past year, Mr Saunders said he was always willing to work constructively with council on any issues pertaining to their infrastructure.
"Including water," he told the Daily Liberal.
Ms Jackson said she didn't think it was "good enough" for local representatives to just say they were "willing to work constructively" to resolve these serious and long-standing issues.
"That's honestly just doing your job in a pretty basic way, if you're not willing to do that what are you willing to do?" she said.
"Local representatives should be up in arms about this, urgently demanding action from the State Government and pressing for solutions.
"I know that is what Labor candidate and Dubbo councillor Josh Black has been and will be doing on behalf of his community."