Desal plant deals: costly workers plugging drips at desal plant
Despite costing Melbourne water users up to $22.5 billion over the life of its contract, the plant has not spat out a drop of water.
But the desalination plant requires a team of maintenance workers and engineers to monitor it 24 hours a day and, among other duties, to fix the water plant’s leaks.
The plant remains a white elephant as Melbourne’s water storages sit at almost 80 per cent.
A Herald Sun investigation can also reveal:
A CFMEU shop steward on the plant was sentenced to 5½ years’ jail for the importation of three tonnes of cannabis resin, worth $147 million;
THE royal commission into trade unions has been asked to investigate a crane supervisor from the desal project with links to Mick Gatto; and
CLAIMS that three times the number of cranes originally thought needed for the plant’s construction were present on the site, and that a number often appeared inactive.
With 18 days until the election, the new details of alleged corruption and criminal links to the plant’s construction are expected to become an election issue for state Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews.
As well as Mr Gatto’s Elite Cranes, a second crane company contracted to work on the multi-billion dollar project has been named as being connected to a Thiess employee who has links with a senior Rebels bikie.
Fair Work Building and Construction director Nigel Hadgkiss will hand down a report on his review of investigations into the plant to a Senate committee this week.
Aquasure — the company that operates the Wonthaggi site under contract until 2039 — is scheduled to charge Melbourne water customers up to $22.549 billion for the plant.
But even if no water is used, water customers will pay a minimum of $18.3 billion.
Water Minister Peter Walsh did not rule out ordering water from the plant when needed, saying Melbourne Water provided advice on storages at the end of summer.
But he promised “the Liberal-National Coalition certainly won’t be pushing extra costs on to Melbourne families just for the sake of blowing the cobwebs out of Labor’s white elephant”.
Former plant director Mike Jury confirmed that there were some leaks at the plant during a Herald Sun tour of the plant, when our reporter noticed puddles of water in the reverse osmosis building.
“When the water is under so much pressure, you’re always going to have leaks,” Mr Jury said.
The construction of the project was plagued with problems and cost the companies building it almost $1 billion in losses.
Radley de Silva, chief executive officer of Master Builders Association of Victoria, said union interference had damaged the project.
“Victorians have every right to question the value of projects,” he said.
Deputy Labor leader James Merlino said the election was about other issues.
“What’s at stake at this election on the 29th of November is the fact that you can wait up to 23 minutes for an ambulance to arrive, and die in the process,” he said.
“Schools are falling down, TAFE’s been gutted, unemployment has gone up.”
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