‘Would you destroy your own mother?’ Premier faces fury over $12bn pumped hydro

Premier Steven Miles has come under attack during a fiery confrontation with residents living at ground zero of a massive pumped hydro scheme. WATCH THE VIDEO

Premier Steven Miles has been forced to apologise as he came under attack from residents of a small north Queensland community at the centre of the state government’s ambitious, $12bn-plus hydro project.

Mr Miles was repeatedly interrupted and jeered as he fronted a fiery community meeting on Tuesday night in Eungella, located in the Pioneer Valley about 70km west of Mackay near the proposed site of what would be the world’s biggest pumped hydro scheme.

About 50 homes would need to be resumed to make way for the Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro scheme, while there are concerns over the impact on the habitat of endangered species such as the platypus.

Premier Steven Miles was confronted by angry locals over the pumped hydro project. Picture Fergus Gregg

The Premier apologised over his government’s lack of consultation, admitting mistakes had been made when Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the project, which even blindsided Mackay Mayor Greg Williams.

“I want to apologise for the pain some of you felt around the way the initial announcement about this project was made,” he said.

“In hindsight, we could definitely handle that better, and it’s my hope that starting today, we can.”

Mr Miles, flanked by Paul Martin, Department of Climate and Energy director general, and Queensland Hydro CEO Kieran Cusack, struggled to speak at times as attendees – many members of the Save Eungella group – shouted at him.

“Would you destroy your own mother?,” one angry attendee yelled out to thunderous applause.

The Eungella community were out in force behind the Save Eungella committee to raise their concerns to Premier Steven Miles and Queensland Hydro. Picture: Fergus Gregg

A clearly frustrated Mr Miles appealed for calm.

“I will hear all of you without interrupting and I would ask that you would do the same,” he said.

Despite the anger in the room, there were some who welcomed Mr Miles’s attendance and willingness to apologise.

“Good on you for coming up here and apologising,” a man said. “We’ve been kept in the dark this whole time and that’s not good.”

Tonia Binsiar, from conservation group Central Queensland Collective, urged the government to pause the development until detailed studies could be complete.

“We’ve already lost too much to mining and so many other projects, we’d like the government to slow down and have a look at the massive impacts it’s going to make on what wildlife we have left.”

The LNP’s Deb Frecklington slammed Mr Miles’ appearance in Eungella as “disgraceful”. Picture: Liam Kidston

LNP energy spokeswoman Deb Frecklington took aim at the Premier’s appearance, accusing Mr Miles of having “put on a disgraceful display”.

“He sat in front of the Eungella community and wasn’t able to answer simple questions – well the most simple question is how much will the Pioneer-Burdekin project hydro cost?” she said.

“The Premier is unable to answer that.”

Ms Frecklington also said Mr Miles was the Deputy Premier when former Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the project, saying his “grubby fingerprints are all over this project”.

“He can’t go into that community now and act like he doesn’t know what it is all about,” she said.

“”This is the bloke that was at the center of the decision-making process when the Palaszczuk/Miles government made this decision

“I say again to the Premier of Queensland how much will the Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro project cost Queenslanders, and how much extra will Queenslanders pay on their everyday electricity power bills because of this project.”

Premier Stephen Miles made the trip to Eungella to meet with the public on the pumped hydro project. Photo: Fergus Gregg

When concerns over national security threats posed by the project were raised, Queensland Hydro’s response was “You would need a nuclear warhead ultimately to really have an impact on that sort of dam.”

The response from the crowd: “They have those”.

The most scathing criticism levelled at Mr Miles came from the meeting’s final speaker, One Nation MP for Mirani, Stephen Andrew.

“I’m gonna be honest here, I’m not gonna be rude to you, but I’m gonna say this – the people of Queensland didn’t really elect you,” he said.

“If you’re so sure this project is worth its weight in gold, don’t sign any contracts.

“Give everyone in Brisbane and the other cities the understanding of what we’re about to do here and get elected on the principles of that.”