Dam good news: Cash for Paradise could have funded roads, hospital

Queensland’s troubled Paradise Dam will finally be returned to its full capacity after the Morrison Government committed to its half of the $1.2 billion cost to fix it while making it clear the cash should be being spent on other projects.

Paradise Dam will be returned to its full capacity with Morrison Government committing $600 million to help fix it – but saying the cash could have gone towards a hospital or widening the Bruce Highway if it hadn’t been broken in the first place.

Just two years ago the Palaszczuk Government lowered the Bundaberg dam’s spillway, slashing its capacity in half, over safety issues and concerns over the strength of its wall after damage from a flood in 2013.

Paradise Dam. Picture: Paul Beutel

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk this week finally committed to restoring it to its full 300,000 megalitre capacity at a $1.2 billion price tag, committing half the cost herself and demanding the Commonwealth stump up the rest.

It is still expected a start on the early works of the project will be as far away as 2023.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce will on Friday announce the Federal Government will commit the additional $600 million

“Farmers in the region have spent the last two years in limbo, worrying if they’ll have the water they need to support and grow their businesses into the future,” Mr Joyce said.

“It’s all well and good for the Queensland Labor Government to say they’ll fix the dam, but the funding they’ve committed falls well short of what’s required to complete the job.”

Hinkler MP and Resources Minister Keith Pitt said taxpayers would not have had to fork out the cash if the dam should have been built properly in the first place.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

“While I am pleased that we are able to deliver the money that’s necessary, it breaks my heart to think that this funding could have gone to a new level five hospital for Bundaberg or to dual-carriage the Maryborough-Bundaberg section of the Bruce Highway,” Mr Pitt said.

The significant loss of water capacity caused major concerns for farmers and irrigators in the region who had been campaigning for it to be restored to its original height after the wall was lowered.

Ms Palaszczuk, when announcing the state funding earlier this week, said the funding would be a game changer for families.

“We’re working closely with the federal government to secure funding. But … regardless of federal support, I am fully committed to rebuilding Paradise Dam,” she said.