Developers would have to secure water entitlements before building new residential estates under a proposal from a Geelong version of this month’s 2020 Summit in Canberra.
Geelong 2020 Summit produced recommendations ranging from a review of government tiers to a national education system and adopting new ways of controlling inflation rather than focussing on interest rates.
A formal submission from the Geelong talkfest will go to the Australia 2020 Summit.
The Geelong summit’s recommendation on watering new estates said: “Have agreed legislated targets to ensure water security for the region, including a requirement that water entitlements are obtained before new development occurs”.
Mayor Bruce Harwood said the recommendation was a response to Geelong’s Armstrong Creek growth area, earmarked for new suburbs with over 50,000 residents.
Cr Harwood said entitlements would require development of a “formula” to determine water requirements for residential developments of various sizes.
The entitlements would take into account issues other than estates’ demand on drinking water supply, such as recycling initiatives.
Cr Harwood hoped Geelong’s recommendations on water would resonate in Canberra.
“Water will be one of the hotter topics at the summit,” he said.
Cr Harwood expected Geelong’s recommendations to be noticed in Canberra amid the talks of 1000 summit delegates and a flurry of submissions from around Australia.
He called on local representatives “at all levels of government” to monitor the outcome of the Australia 2020 summit on Geelong’s submission.
Cr Harwood defended the sometimes-vague language of the Geelong recommendations.
One was to “foster local communities as a resource through…self-employed and paid coordinators that carry out the wishes of local groups”. A recommendation on reviewing the Aboriginal Heritage Act called for authorities to “give power back to the communities where local knowledge exists”.
Cr Harwood called the recommendations a “motherhood statement”.
“It’s difficult to nail the exact detail. It’s just about demonstrating there is a strong commitment to our community,” he said.
About 80 participants attended the Geelong summit after organisers opened the door to late requests to attend. An initial statement on attendance said organisers had chosen 62 participants.
The summit included state and federal MPs, councillors, Commit-tee for Geelong members and representatives of community groups and business organisations.
The Australia 2020 Summit runs in Canberra on April 19 and 20.
Fargs on Friday, page 15