Mr. P. Burke:

I welcome the Minister to the House. Some of the companies using treatment systems for houses tell us that they are fully operational and can treat effluent to the same level as community treatment units. Some local authorities, however, will not grant planning permission for a house with a treatment unit. That is unfair. Will the Minister elaborate on what treatment units can be used? Do departmental guidelines require that treatment units have a certain output?

Mr. P. Burke:

The cases highlighted by Senator O'Rourke are common throughout the country and planners implement the guidelines in the manner she described.