VIC:Desal consortium lodge claim with Vic govt

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2011
VIC:Desal consortium lodge claim with Vic govt

MELBOURNE, April 26 AAP - A compensation claim has been lodged with the Baillieu government
by the consortium behind the multibillion-dollar desalination plant at Wonthaggi because
of the impact recent floods have had on construction.

The Aquasure consortium has lodged a force majeure claim - meaning an event beyond
the control of the government or contractor - under a contract it signed with the Brumby
government in 2009.

It has not specified how much money it is seeking from taxpayers, Fairfax newspapers
report on Tuesday.

Rain and wind have hampered the project and construction of the main plant is up to
12 months behind schedule.

The consortium have already sought relief for the impact of the February floods on
pipeline work near Koo Wee Rup.

But the government is resisting the claim, saying it is a matter for the builder Thiess
and insurers.

"We believe this is a matter for Thiess and its insurers and [we] will not comment
further on this as it is a commercial matter under the contract," a government spokeswoman
said.

Theiss is also facing claims for compensation from farmers and businesses in the Koo
Wee Rup area over flood damage they say occurred after Theiss failed to reinstate a flood
levee damaged while laying the desalination pipeline to Melbourne.

AAP bm/ht/

KEYWORD: DESALINATION

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