A stronger commitment to regional water infrastructure is needed to safeguard communities and industries across Western Australia, according to Shadow Minister for Water Peter Rundle MLA.
Speaking after The Nationals WA’s 2026 State Conference, Mr Rundle welcomed the passage of a motion calling for increased funding to maintain, upgrade and replace ageing regional water infrastructure.
“Reliable water infrastructure is not a luxury for regional WA, it’s a necessity for our communities, businesses and agricultural industries,” Mr Rundle said.
“The Cook Labor Government cannot continue with a reactive approach that waits for infrastructure to fail before acting. We need a long-term commitment to maintaining and replacing ageing assets to secure regional water supplies for the future.”
The motion called on the Minister for Water, Daniel Pastorelli, to prioritise funding for replacement and improved maintenance of water infrastructure in regional Western Australia, in particular ageing water pipelines.
It also called for Minister Pastorelli to secure the Harris Dam water supply for the Great Southern Towns Water Supply Scheme (GSTWSS).
“Millions of litres of precious water are leaking into the ground across regional WA due to poor maintenance or replacement of ageing pipes, tanks and dams,” Mr Rundle said.
“The Minister for Water also needs to investigate measures to increase capacity at the Harris Dam to maintain the integrity of the GSTWSS.”
“With the Harris Dam at only 15.4 per cent capacity (as of 25 August) and with increasing need for water across the 31 towns relying on GSTWSS, the Minister must safeguard water security for the Great Southern by ensuring water is not diverted from Harris Dam to subsidise Perth,” Mr Rundle said.
Mr Rundle said while Conference motions do not automatically become Party policy, they provide a strong indication of members’ priorities and help shape future policy direction.
“This motion, put forward by the Roe Electorate Council, was one of the highest-priority issues endorsed by Conference delegates.
“Our members have sent a clear message: regional water security cannot be ignored, and the Minister for Water must act to secure reliable supplies for regional communities.”