Alstonville farmers call for Minister Melinda Pavey to intervene over Dunoon Dam

Alstonville farmers are worried for the future of the Plateau’s underground water supply, but they say they’ve been ignored local politicians. Now they’re turning to One Nation for help.

Alstonville farmers have called on NSW Water Minister, Melinda Pavey, to intervene over the Dunoon dam.

Farmer and convenor of the Save Alstonville Aquifer group, Mike Hogan, said a One Nation politician in Goulburn was helping them to make representations to Ms Pavey.

“I call on Minister Pavey to set an inquiry into Rous and the Dunoon dam, and also to set aside the board (of councillors) until the inquiry is finalised,” he said.

Last week, Rous County Council once again rejected a motion to include the Dunoon Dam in the new version of the Water Future Plan 2060.

This means that the project for a 50GL dam cannot be discussed again as a motion for the next three months.

The vote came after the exhibition process of the Future Water Plan attracted more than 10,000 pro-dam submissions, of a total of just over 13,000.

Most Rous councillors cited cultural, scientific and social reasons to remain opposed to the Dunoon dam project.

The NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Water Infrastructure, Sam Farraway, called for an independent study about the long-term water security for the Northern Rivers.

Mr Hogan said the new water plan adopted last week focuses on extracting underground water from the Alstonville Plateau and other areas, which local farmers oppose.

“Even the no-dammers, on the first consultation, supported no use of groundwater,” he said.

“It’s a difficult situation, but (Ms Pavey) is the minister and she has to stand up and do something.”

Mr Hogan said he believed the dam was the only option to secure water in the long term for the area.

“There are economic and emotional factors in it, but I think we need to have common sense. Common sense has to prevail,” he said.

“The dam is not a perfect answer, but it is an answer. It’s better than the other alternatives.”

He said local MPs and MLCs had not returned his calls and emails asking for support.

“I am having no luck at all getting in touch with local politicians,” Mr Hogan said.

“They don’t answer phone calls, they don’t reply to emails.

“For the last six months, I’ve had negative response from all of them.”

A 3D version of the 50GL Dunoon Dam.

Asked if he thought the topic had become too politically charged, Mr Hogan said local politicians should have become part of the conversation six months ago.

“(The conversation about water) wasn’t so charged six months ago,” he said.

“They are our representatives. They are here to represent us. They all should be listening to us.”

Mr Hogan said he has received support from One Nation MLC Rod Roberts from Goulburn.

“I rang him and asked him for help, as he spoke about water security on his first speech, and he is 100 per cent per cent behind us,” he said.

“You gotta have long term water security. They built a dam there, and now they don’t have a water problem anymore.”

WaterNSW and Ms Pavey were contacted for comment.