Labor wipes Bradfield Scheme to focus on regional water grids

The state government has revealed why the visionary Bradfield Scheme desigend to channel water from new dams in North Queensland west over the Great Dividing Range into inland Australia will not work.

The visionary Bradfield Scheme to channel water from new dams in North Queensland west over the Great Dividing Range into inland Australia is dead for the Labor state government.

An expert panel headed by economist Professor Ross Garnaut has found the scheme unviable and Water Minister Glenn Butcher announced in Townsville on Thursday Labor had accepted the findings and would instead consider smaller regional water grids.

The news was met with disdain from the LNP and Katter’s Australian Party who claimed the government was “dam-phobic” and “anti-development”.

Mr Butcher said all the research showed there was not enough consistent water to support the scheme first proposed by eminent engineer Dr John Bradfield but which has many versions.

“The independent panel found that the scheme’s costs far exceed (the) benefits, so they recommended exploring better options for using water to contribute to regional development,” Mr Butcher said.

Water Minister Glenn Butcher has released the report after months of being considered by the government. NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

He said the panel assessed those costs at more than $30bn and the government believed it was “a lot more expensive than that”.

“The panel extensively investigated the Bradfield Scheme and explored the possibilities of other water grids, or mini-Bradfield schemes, making eight recommendations in the detailed report,” Mr Butcher said.

In 2020 the State Government's announced plans to review the viability of the Bradfield Scheme.

“The Queensland Government has thoroughly considered the report and accepted, or accepted in principle, all recommendations.”

The Bradfield Scheme proposed three dams on the Tully, Herbert and Burdekin rivers with a tunnel to the Flinders and Thompson rivers to send the water west and south.

Professor Garnaut said the panel concluded the scheme and similar proposals fall at the first hurdle.

“There is not enough water available on a consistent basis to support them, while doing all of the other valuable things that water does in the relevant catchments,” Prof Garnaut said.

But Prof Garnaut said the idea of using the immense water resources of northern and central Queensland to promote regional development was sound.

“In today’s circumstances, using the water productively, closer to where it falls, will make a far bigger and more valuable contribution to regional development,” Prof Garnaut said.

SunWater CEO Glenn Stockton, Mundingburra MP Les Walker, Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper, Glenn Butcher, Townsville MP Scott Stewart and Prof Ross Garnaut announcing the Bradfield Scheme report in Townsville.

LNP water spokeswoman Deb Frecklington said the findings were a damning indictment on the government’s record on water security.

“This review tells you everything you need to know about the legacy of this now tired third-term government,” Ms Frecklington said.

KAP Leader and Mount Isa-based MP Robbie Katter said the government was “dam-phobic” and “anti-development”.

“There is absolutely no question that the Palaszczuk Labor Governments agenda is to stop all dams, particularly in North Queensland. This report was never going to be contrary to this,” Mr Katter said.

Townsville Enterprise CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith said the announcement did not come as a surprise.

“We always knew that we had to work on a smaller scheme in Hells Gates Dam to fit within the current environmental legislation,” Ms Brumme-Smith said.

Originally published as Labor wipes Bradfield Scheme to focus on regional water grids