Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has been slammed for ‘embarrassing’ Ross River Dam response

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has been criticised for her response to questions about Townsville’s Ross River Dam

THE State Government’s attempts to dodge questions about the operation of the Ross River Dam during the Townsville floods have been labelled an “embarrassing” buck pass.

LNP leader Deb Frecklington has slammed Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk for referring questions about the Dam to its owners, the Townsville City Council, while on national television yesterday (FRIDAY).

“The buck stops with the Premier … the Ross River Dam is run by SunWater and the State Government are in control of that dam,” she said.

“How does she think the people of Townsville and North Queensland feel when their Premier squibs it on national television and tries to put the blame at someone else’s feet, it’s embarrassing.”

When asked on Sunrise if the Dam’s spillway gates should have been opened earlier to mitigate flooding, Ms Palaszczuk said questions should be directed to the council.

“They own that Dam, they are the asset owner of that Dam,” she said.

Ms Palaszczuk said she was not “blaming” the council for the floods.

Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said the opening of the spillway gates initially followed the dam’s Emergency Action Plan.

“Due to the extreme rainfall over the dam catchment — and the Bureau of Meteorology’s predictions of further intense rainfall — Townsville City Council decided to increase the spillway gates further than the EAP,” she said.

“The decision was not taken lightly and was done to reduce future downstream flooding and reduce the peak of the floodwaters.

“Prior to making the decision, Council sought expert advice from external agencies and technical consultants.”

These agencies included the Bureau, SunWater and the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy.

Ms Palaszczuk later said she had not stated questions about the Dam had to be answered by the council.

“No, I didn’t say that at all,” she said.

“I said the Dam is a Townsville City Council owned asset, and of course everybody works together.

“There will be an independent review that will be done, but I think everybody needs to be aware and be mindful … (of the) unprecedented weather,” she said.

Dam operations and associated procedures are one of the terms of reference for a “wide-ranging” independent review by the Inspector-General Emergency Management.

The review will also assess the preparation and planning, response, public information delivery and resourcing across the extreme weather event.

It is expected to be completed by mid-year.

The Government also yesterday appointed Major General (ret.) Stuart Smith to head up the recovery effort in North Queensland as the State Disaster Recovery Co-ordinator.

Mr Smith would be based in Townsville and would be responsible for all flood affected areas.

Originally published as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has been slammed for ‘embarrassing’ Ross River Dam response