Member for Flinders Sam Telfer has thrown his support behind a select committee to determine the future of the Eyre Peninsula Desalination Project, following ongoing unrest within the community surrounding the proposed Billy Lights Point site.
The committee, which is made up by legislative council members Connie Bonaros, Tammy Franks, Justin Hanson, Ben Hood, Russell Wortley and Nicola Centofanti, will inquire into and report on the water supply needs of the peninsula, including a focus on the potential location of the desalination plant.
It will assess the current and future water supply and distribution requirements, evaluate the feasibility and impact of locating desalination plant/s, examine the environmental, economic, cultural and social implications and explore the decision-making responsibility for water supply and distribution on EP.
The region's need for a desalination plant project has been a contentious issue for more than a decade, with EP water supplies expected to run out by the end of 2025 if a solution is not reached.
In recent years, shortlisted locations for the plant included Sleaford West, Shoal Point and Sleaford, but despite community opposition, a plant at the SA Water-owned Billy Lights Point was selected by the state government.
Mr Telfer, whose electorate encompasses EP and who has been vocal in the need for a revised location, welcomed the new committee.
"This is an opportunity for people from all across the EP to have input on water supply and distribution," he said.
"(This includes) desalination plant locations, water distribution challenges, and other water supply barriers."
Ms Centofanti, who put the motion to establish a select committee forward earlier this year, said all 11 EP councils had written to the government to formally oppose Billy Lights Point as the site selection of the desalination plant, as had seafood industry representatives and marine researchers.
When proposing a select committee to review the desalination plant's site, Ms Centofanti said EP needed water security and a review would not question this.
"(It) would make an overarching review of the options available for water security into the future," she said.
"It is important that, in considering water security on EP, we look to futureproofing the region.
"We know that there are current plans for a Northern Water project to support industry in the region, what we need to be asking ourselves is whether there is an opportunity for government to work with industry to create a significant infrastructure project to sustain broader water needs for the EP and what that might look like going forward.
"Is there an opportunity to create one large project, rather than having multiple projects that lack vision into the future?
"I truly believe this is something the committee could investigate in a multipartisan manner."
This comes after the Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation, which was instrumental in overturning the federal government's radioactive waste plans at Kimba in mid-2023, sent a letter to members of the state government in protest of the Billy Lights Point site.
The letter stated the Barngarla community was deeply concerned with the desalination plant proposal due to the ecological and heritage issues surrounding pre-colonial fish traps at the site.
"We consider that these issues are insurmountable," the letter said.
"These issues cannot be remedied by heritage surveys or other negotiations, as they go to the core issues of this development at this location."
A state government spokesperson said a desalination plant for the EP would secure drinking water supplies for communities, farms and businesses across the region, and mitigate the risk of irreparable damage from seawater incursion to underground freshwater resources.
"The project will also involve significant investment, boosting the local economy during construction and operation, providing new supply chain opportunities for local businesses, and is expected to support up to 230 jobs by 2025/26," they said.
"As announced included in the 2023/24 State Budget, the EP desalination project has an estimated total cost of approximately $330 million.
"Subject to required approvals, construction of the desalination plant is expected to begin in mid-2024, with first water to be delivered from the end of 2025."
Prior to the select committee announcement, the state government spokesperson said the only reason a desalination plant was not already built was because the Liberal Party was more concerned about losing Mr Telfer's seat to an independent than it was ensuring Port Lincoln residents had water security.
"The Malinauskas government doesn't have the luxury of procrastinating because if we do Port Lincoln will not have climate independent drinking water," they said.
"SA Water has chosen Billy Lights Point because it best meets all the criteria to deliver water security needs of the region now and into the future and is the most cost-effective and timely water security solution for the people of EP."
Meanwhile, Mr Telfer said the reason the project was yet to go ahead was due to widespread community concerns about the plant's site.
"This subject is above party politics - my community needs the best decisions made on their sustainable water supply, not just the cheapest or the most expedient option," he said.
"At the moment they're being faced with a project advancing at Billy Lights Point - a location which has little to no community support.
"If we are serious about getting an appropriate long term solution for EP water, we need to look at all the different factors."
Between now and May, SA Water will still complete geotechnical investigations at the Billy Lights Point site in line with the project's timeline.
Mr Telfer encouraged any person or organisation wishing to make a written submission to the committee, or register an interest in presenting oral evidence to the committee, to do so by April 12.