Big Rocks Weir funding delay puts 115 jobs in limbo
Years after the Federal Government committed $30 million to build a weir in north Queensland, the State Government has finally matched the funds – but a small clause in its offer has people scratching their heads.
QLD Politics
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The State Labor Government has been accused of delaying jobs instead of creating them after tying $30 million in funding for a north Queensland weir to a “detailed business case”.
The stipulation comes despite the Government receiving a business case just three weeks ago that found the project would create 115 ongoing jobs and generate an additional $31.5 million a year in agricultural production.
That business case by Townsville Enterprises, believed to have cost $2 million, was funded by the Commonwealth, which has for years been asking the Queensland Government to match its $30 million commitment to build the Big Rocks Weir, near Charters Towers.
This week, the Government committed to the invest up to $30 million but said it was subject to “a successful detailed business case” and set aside $3 million for pre-construction activities.
Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Minister Anthony Lynham said more work was needed to finalise detailed design and construction costing not included in the business case.
“This makes the capital costs more certain and allows construction tenders to be prepared for letting,” he said.
But Member for Herbert Phillip Thompson lashed the Government for creating a “study into a study”.
“Does the Premier (Annastacia Palaszczuk) not think that Townsville Enterprise can do a good enough job? Does the Premier think we’re mugs here in the north? Because I can tell you that’s how we’re feeling,” he said.
“This will only delay the project by months and potentially even years which is the height of irony when the State Labor Government says it wants to create as many jobs as possible to help recover from COVID-19.”
LNP senator Susan McDonald said the project had been thoroughly reviewed, so it “beggars belief” the Government was “wasting taxpayers’ money” on further studies.
“Again we see Labor pretending to be doing something about water security but not actually delivering,” she said.
“They won’t build dams and this latest stunt demonstrates again that they will never start Big Rocks or any other water storage while they are in government.”
Dr Lynham said the government needed to spend an extra $3 million to progress the project, including obtaining environmental regulatory approvals, assessing and packaging water prices and obtaining binding commitments from potential customers.
“Is the LNP advocating that the government go out to tender on a project that hasn’t got environmental approvals or a defined amount of water available?” he said.
