A VICTORIAN Coalition attempt to block the flow of water down the controversial north-south pipeline to Melbourne early next year is doomed to fail.
The pipeline is due to begin operating by late February, pumping water from the Goulburn River to Melbourne's Sugarloaf Reservoir.
The Coalition has warned it is set to block Government amendments to the Eildon-Goulburn bulk entitlement, which allows Melbourne to take up to 75,000 megalitres of water savings from the $2.2 billion Northern Victorian Irrigation Renewal Project.
Nationals Upper House leader Peter Hall said he "fully expects" to introduce a motion disallowing the Government's amendments in the new year.
But the Government has bypassed the amendments by tapping into 22,000 megalitres of water that was not created from the project.
As The Weekly Times first revealed in September, the Government is taking 12,000 megalitres traditionally supplied from the Goulburn irrigation system to Wimmera Mallee farmers and towns.
The Government deemed the water was no longer necessary for Wimmera Mallee, given most of the region is now being supplied with water from the $688 million Grampians Wimmera Mallee pipeline network.
While the Wimmera Mallee savings were earmarked to boost Loddon, Goulburn and Murray River flows, the water was secreted away for Melbourne by Water Minister Tim Holding on June 28, using his powers to "qualify" water rights.
The Government also has access to another 10,000 megalitres accumulated in Lake Eildon's water quality reserve.
Government sources told The Weekly Times Mr Holding can transfer the first 22,000 megalitres to Melbourne under the Victorian Water Act 1989.
Section 46(3) of the Act states: "An Authority that holds an entitlement under this Division may apply to the Minister for approval of the transfer" to another water authority.
However, while the Government will be free to deliver its first 22,000 megalitres, the Coalition still has the chance to block the water being delivered to Melbourne.
If the Green and DLP MPs support the Coalition in blocking the Government's bulk entitlement amendments, the Government will be denied access to at least 10,000 megalitres from last season's NVIRP irrigation works.
Further NVIRP water savings are due to accumulate this season.
