Peter Rundle MLA

Water security is one of the most important long-term challenges facing Western Australia, and it will only become more critical as our population, economy and industries continue to grow.

Yet after almost a decade in government, Labor’s management of the water portfolio has left Western Australia increasingly exposed to ageing infrastructure, growing demand and emerging risks to our future water supply.

As Shadow Minister for Water, I take those challenges seriously. I only wish the Cook Labor Government would demonstrate the same urgency.

The latest Cabinet reshuffle has delivered yet another Minister for Water. But changing the name on the office door will not change the problems confronting Western Australia.

Daniel Pastorelli inherits a portfolio under considerable pressure: parts of Perth’s water and sewerage network are more than 70 years old, regional pipelines continue to fail, Water Corporation workers are taking industrial action, and questions remain about whether the agencies responsible for managing our water resources have the capacity and resources needed for the task ahead.

After growing public concern about the management of the portfolio, the Government was right to recognise that a change was needed. The real test is whether the new Minister will be given the authority, resources and determination to change course — or whether Labor intends to continue with more of the same.

Water Corporation workers say they are overstretched and undervalued. Concerns have been raised about the condition and future requirements of critical infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation is being asked to manage increasingly complex pressures around water licensing, groundwater allocations and declining water availability.

The people working in these organisations continue to do their best. The failure has been political: Labor has not delivered the long-term planning, investment and infrastructure program required to keep pace with Western Australia’s growth.

That lack of priority was evident again in the recent State Budget.

Regional water programs were cut, including funding for rural water planning, the WaterSmart Farms initiative and water carting programs. At the same time, the Government allocated just $41 million across regional Western Australia for water and wastewater infrastructure to unlock housing, and $25 million for regional water infrastructure.

For a Government entering its tenth year in office, it is simply not good enough.

Across regional Western Australia, communities continue to face water shortages, ageing pipelines and constraints on housing and economic development because basic water infrastructure has not kept pace.

Too often, Labor’s approach has been reactive — responding when pipes fail, supplies run short or development stalls — rather than investing early enough to prevent those problems occurring in the first place.

And the pressures are only increasing.

Population growth, expanding industry, greater demand on groundwater, increasing reliance on desalination and the rapid development of AI-driven data centres will all add to Western Australia’s future water requirements.

Artificial intelligence presents significant economic opportunities for our State, but those opportunities cannot come at the expense of household, agricultural or industrial water security.

Data centres can be significant users of water, particularly for cooling, and as demand for AI infrastructure grows, governments need to understand and plan for its cumulative impact on water supplies.

Yet significant questions remain about how water use by data centres will be assessed and regulated at both a State and Federal level.

The Federal Government’s National AI Plan provides insufficient guidance on the water implications of large-scale data-centre development. The question is no longer whether Western Australia will attract more of these projects, but whether the Cook Labor Government is properly planning for their impact before they arrive.

Local governments are already beginning to grapple with these issues. The City of Stirling is considering stronger planning controls for data centres, including whether they should be treated as a prohibited use in some circumstances, amid concerns about residential amenity and pressure on local resources.

Western Australia should not wait until individual communities are forced to confront these challenges development by development.

Water security must be embedded in the State’s long-term economic, industrial and land-use planning, supported by stronger policy, greater transparency and genuinely integrated management of our water resources.

Desalination will undoubtedly play an important role in Western Australia’s future, but it cannot be the only answer.

We must also expand wastewater recycling, protect groundwater resources, strengthen water licensing and compliance, and accelerate the maintenance and replacement of ageing infrastructure — particularly in regional communities where a single pipeline failure can have enormous consequences.

Most importantly, government must start planning ahead of demand rather than chasing it.

Western Australians deserve confidence that the water they rely on — for their homes, farms, businesses and communities — is being secured not just for today, but for the decades ahead.

Daniel Pastorelli has inherited the consequences of almost a decade of Labor’s management of this portfolio. He also has an opportunity to change direction.

A new Minister will only matter if there is a new approach.

The question now is whether the Cook Labor Government is finally prepared to give Western Australia’s water security the priority it deserves.

Shadow Minister for Water Peter Rundle MLA is warning that the rapid rollout of AI driven data centres could place further strain on Western Australia’s already stretched water supplies and is not confident the Cook Labor Government is prepared.

While welcoming investment and technological innovation, Mr Rundle said new data centres must form part of an integrated plan that ensures the sustainable and responsible use of water.

“Artificial intelligence presents enormous opportunities for Western Australia, but the growth of AI data centres cannot come at the expense of household water security. The Cook Labor Government needs to prepare now to protect WA water sources and mitigate potential impacts,” Mr Rundle said.

Mr Rundle said the Federal Government’s recently announced National AI Plan lacked sufficient guidance on water use, despite AI data centres being significantly larger and more resource intensive than traditional facilities.

“As AI adoption grows, so too will demand for data centres and the water required to cool them. The question is not whether Western Australia will see more of these developments, but whether the Cook Labor Government is planning properly for the impact.

“Both the Albanese and Cook Labor Governments need to safeguard our water supplies and ensure water security remains a priority as Australia’s digital economy expands.”

Mr Rundle said Western Australia faced unique challenges compared with the eastern states, with Perth increasingly reliant on groundwater and desalination.

“Water is one of WA’s most valuable resources. Every major new water user should be assessed through a water security lens, particularly in a state already investing heavily in new water sources to meet future demand.

“What matters is where the water comes from, how it is used, whether recycled water is being prioritised, and whether it impacts households, agriculture, industry or future residential development.

“Any large-scale data centre should be required to demonstrate that recycled or non potable water sources have been properly considered before relying on drinking water supplies.”

Mr Rundle said transparency should also be a requirement for future approvals.

“Western Australians deserve to know how much water major facilities are consuming and what impact they may have on local supplies. Public reporting of water use should be standard practice, and this Government needs to apply strict rules around this.”

He said the issue was particularly important in regional Western Australia, including the Pilbara, where growing demands from mining, industry, renewable energy and future economic development were already increasing pressure on available water resources.

“Western Australia cannot afford to treat water as an afterthought. Water security must be built into every data centre approval from day one.”

Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation Peter Rundle MLA is encouraging sporting clubs, local governments and community organisations to provide feedback on the State Government’s review of the Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund (CSRFF) and Club Night Lights Program (CNLP).

The CSRFF and CNLP have been on hold since August 2024, yet it wasn’t until May 2026 that the State Government announced it had closed program applications and was planning a review.

Mr Rundle said the funding programs play a vital role in delivering new and upgraded sporting infrastructure across Western Australia, particularly in regional communities where quality sporting facilities are essential to maintaining participation and community wellbeing.

“These programs provide much-needed funding for new and upgraded sporting facilities that keep people active and connected, especially in our regions,” Mr Rundle said.

“In many regional towns, sporting clubs are the lifeblood of the community, and these grants help ensure facilities remain safe, modern and fit for purpose.”

Mr Rundle said the suspension of funding rounds has left many worthwhile projects in limbo.

“With funding paused for two years we now have a significant backlog of important projects waiting for support. Clubs and local governments have been left in uncertainty, delaying infrastructure upgrades that are badly needed across the State.”

As part of the review, all aspects of the CSRFF and CNLP are being considered, including eligibility requirements, funding caps, application timeframes and the current one-third funding contribution model shared between clubs, local governments and the State Government.

Mr Rundle encouraged anyone who has previously been involved in the CSRFF grant process to make their voice heard.

“This is an important opportunity for sporting clubs, volunteers and local governments to help shape these programs for the future,” he said.

“If you’ve had experience applying for a CSRFF grant, I strongly encourage you to provide your feedback before the consultation closes on 28th August.”

Feedback can be submitted through the Department or Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport’s online consultation portal. The next funding rounds are anticipated to open in early 2027.

Member for Roe Peter Rundle stands with the community of Munglinup who continue to seek government regional officer housing (GROH) for teachers for their school.

In 2018 land was allocated by the Shire of Ravensthorpe specifically for teacher accommodation. The Department of Education provided approval for a purpose-built residence to support teaching staff.

Mr Rundle said, “The Munglinup community received multiple assurances from the Department that the project would proceed, and significant preparatory work was undertaken. However, after prolonged delays, the decision was made to redeploy the house and Munglinup was deemed not a high priority. This outcome was deeply disappointing for the Munglinup school and wider community.”

Mr Rundle said, “The lack of housing for teachers is known to create flow on effects in the community and is creating a high turnover of teachers at the school.

Teacher turnover is unsettling for students and parents leading to poorer educational outcomes. A kindy student having three teachers in the first semester does not set them up for educational success. No parent, urban or rural, would find that scenario acceptable.”

Mr Rundle added, “Attracting and retaining teachers at Munglinup depends on having suitable accommodation in the town. Teacher recruitment repeatedly stalls at the first hurdle; accommodation.

Minister Carey’s office states GROH housing is available, but that accommodation is a distance away in Jerdacuttup (38km), Cascades (44km), Esperance (110Km) and staff are forced to travel unacceptable distances to get to and from work.”

“Potential employees for businesses in the area are seeking a stable education for their children and will choose to go elsewhere if they feel this is not offered in the town”, Mr Rundle said.

Mr Rundle has raised these concerns with the Government many times in Parliament including a grievance in 2023 to the Minister for Housing who did not respond with anything practical for the community.

Mr Rundle also took aim at the Minister for Education saying, “The Minister ignores the warnings and continues to accept that some teaching positions have an element of danger and that it is okay.”

Mr Rundle said, “It is not okay. To provide this level of education, teachers need to be assured their safety and welfare are a top priority when they apply for these positions.

Teachers are driving long distances to work with the added worry of large agricultural machinery on the roads and driving into the sun both ways, never mind the expense.”

Mr Rundle is urging the Ministers to reconsider, “The Shire of Ravensthorpe has offered the land. The community were promised the housing, but that decision was revoked.

Every effort should be made to give current students and those who attend in the future an education with teacher stability, equitable to any other student in the state. It should not be a privilege, and it should not come with conditions.”

Mr Rundle said, “Geographically, it is essential that the Munglinup Primary School remains open. In an isolated area, the access to education should not be a question of logistics.”

I ask the Ministers responsible – again – to provide a workable solution to this teaching housing issue to assure the Munglinup community they are not forgotten.”