Parrots 'not an issue' for desal plant

The rare orange-bellied parrot is unlikely to threaten the building of Australia's largest desalination plant and should not be used as a political football, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks says.

The Victorian government is planning to build a massive desalination plant in the Wonthaggi area, south-east of Melbourne to provide the city with 150 billion litres of drinking water a year.

Concerns have been raised that the endangered parrot uses a nearby area as its winter feeding ground, News Limited papers reported on Friday.

Last year, former federal environment minister Ian Campbell blocked the state government's approval for a wind farm in Gippsland in south-east Victoria, citing concerns for the parrot.

In December, he announced approval for the Bald Hills wind farm after the company behind it, Wind Power Pty Ltd, began legal action and modified its design.

On Friday, Mr Bracks said he hoped the federal government would not try to "play local politics" and he was confident the critically endangered bird would not be harmed.

"I think a chance of that being an impact on the orange-bellied parrot is very, very, very, very remote," Mr Bracks told reporters.

"On those sites in that area there are existing dwellings, there's existing structures, houses, sheds, farmyard facilities, all in place now - this is another facility on site, it'll be judged on its merits."

He said voters would not respond well to political stunts.

"I think people are well and truly over the contrived efforts to change advice from departments," Mr Bracks said.

As of last September, there were an estimated 150 orange-bellied parrots left in the wild.

Mr Bracks said he supported helping the parrot exist into the future.

"But I don't think you should misuse that position because of your political intent at a local level," he said.