Report still in works on Bradfield Scheme review
A report into the viability of the Bradfield Scheme is still in the works, about four months after it was due to be completed.
Townsville
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A REPORT into the viability of the Bradfield Scheme is still in the works, about four months after it was due to be completed.
The report, which was due in September last year, is expected to explore if the decades old idea would actually work.
In the 1930s, engineer John Bradfield first proposed the scheme with plans to use floodwaters, and a portion of the normal flow, of the Tully, Herbert, Burdekin, Clarke and Flinders rivers to create a flow from North Queensland to the border.
The state government announced the plan to investigate the Bradfield Scheme as part of the 2020 state election, with the LNP having already announced a policy to put a version of the project in place if they won.
The state government revealed late last year the report was delayed due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, and on Tuesday revealed it was still in the works.
A government spokesman said direct engagement by the panel working on the Bradfield Scheme was hampered due to Covid and the deadline for the finalisation of the report was extended.
“The expert panel’s report will be considered thoroughly by the government and released in due course,” a government spokeswoman said.
Opposition water spokeswoman Deb Frecklington said it was “completely unacceptable” that the state government was continuing to “make up excuses” as to why it had not realised the report.
A revised Bradfield Scheme was a cornerstone of the LNP’s election promises.
“During the election campaign after I announced the new Bradfield, the Palaszczuk Government jumped on the LNP’s bandwagon and then announced a review,” Ms Frecklington said.
“ If they were going to do this, why aren’t they being honest with the people of North Queensland and release the report? I asked for a full briefing from the committee into the Bradfield from the Palaszczuk Government and have not been able to be afforded that briefing.
“That’s unacceptable. The people of North Queensland deserve to know why the Palaszczuk Government misled them at the last election.”
Originally published as Report still in works on Bradfield Scheme review
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