Labor Deception at Centre of Dam Saga
North Queenslanders have a right to feel deceived and let down following revelations the State Labor Government’s water minister hid the fact he’d put the kibosh on Hells Gates Dam.
The former Coalition Government had committed $5.4B for the major project before the last federal election, based on the success of a $24M business case undertaken by Townsville Enterprise.
Reports have emerged revealing the Albanese Labor Government did not include the funding in last week’s budget because it had been rejected by the State Labor Water Minister Glenn Butcher.
Federal Member for Herbert Phillip Thompson said the fact the State had rejected the proposal, but wouldn’t own up to it, showed Labor was prioritising politics over people.
“Losing the funding for Hells Gates Dam in Labor’s budget was a massive blow, but to hear that the State Labor Water Minister had already blocked the project is really disappointing,” Mr Thompson.
“Here we have a situation where the State Labor Water Minister has blocked a project, fully funded at the federal level and with a business case that stacks up – but never told the public about his decision. Now we’ve found out that the Federal Labor Water Minister pulled the funding because of the State Minister’s advice.
“Obviously Minister Butcher didn’t have the guts to admit he’d blocked 10,000 jobs for the north, 60,000 hectares of irrigation and water security for a thriving agriculture industry.
“It makes you wonder whether there were some projects in the south east that Premier Palaszczuk wanted the money for instead.
“It shows yet again that Labor doesn’t care about Townsville – they only care about themselves. Not even a Federal and State Labor Government can work together for the benefit of the people.”
The project has been in the planning for almost a decade, with the former Coalition Government funding a feasibility study and business case showing its benefits.
The Townsville Bulletin today reported Townsville Enterprise CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith told an event to launch the Queensland Major Project Pipeline Report that the region “desperately” needed the dam.
“I’m a big believer in the Hells Gates Dam,” she said.
“$5.4B taken out of this community and given to Victoria is not an answer. We are going to fight for this.”
ENDS