Farmers impacted by Borumba hydro join Brisbane rally

Members of the Kilkivan Action Group joined a rally of about 50 people in Brisbane on Tuesday to protest what they say is the state government’s “reckless” approach to the deliver of renewable energy.

Llew O’Brien alongside Glenda Pickersgill from the Kilkivan Action Group with her joey Miss Stripe at the rally outside Queensland parliament on Tuesday.

Members of the Kilkivan Action Group joined a rally of about 50 people in Brisbane on Tuesday to protest what they say is the state government’s “reckless” approach to the deliver of renewable energy.

The rally held outside Queensland parliament included federal LNP MP for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien and other National Party MPs including Nationals federal leader David Littleproud, Matt Canavan and Michelle Landry.

Labor’s renewable energy policies within Queensland have mainly focused on wind and hydro projects. They have committed $200 million for wind farm projects in central Queensland, along with future plans for the $14.2 billion Borumba Pumped Hydro and Forest Wind Projects in Wide Bay.

KAG member Katy McCallum said the Borumba pumped hydro project had not met its requirements under social licence, and claimed nobody in the Mary Valley wanted it.

Qld Hydro plans to transform Borumba Dam into a pumped hydro powerhouse. Borumba Dam, Saturday August 5, 2023. Picture: Christine Schindler

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Mr O’Brien claimed the project threatened “communities from the Fraser Coast to Gympie, and through the South Burnett” and would affect “private land holders, natural habitats and remnant vegetation”.

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Rally organiser and Central Queensland cattle producer Glen Kelly said regional communities were becoming increasingly anxious as renewable energy companies appeared to able to avoid the high level of regulation applied to agriculture and mining.

“Labor‘s plans are not looking after the environment,” Mr Kelly claimed.

“They are destroying it.”

Mr Littleproud said the National Party had been attempting to get a Senate Inquiry into renewables “because irreversible damage to Queensland‘s rainforest and wildlife is at risk”.