NSW needs to build dams faster: John Barilaro
The NSW Deputy Premier has called for a “line in the sand moment” to prioritise fixing the state’s water and drought crisis by building new dams quickly, even if it means sacrificing a budget surplus.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
NSW must be willing to sacrifice a budget surplus and limit — or in some cases abandon — community consultation and environmental impact studies to build dams faster.
That’s the controversial stance of Deputy Premier John Barilaro who will make the case to his Cabinet colleagues and the federal government to “truncate” the planning processes for dams to ensure critical water infrastructure is built for NSW sooner.
Mr Barilaro said that unless planning shortcuts are taken, there will not be a new dam built in this term of government as NSW faces deadly drought conditions.
“We need that line in the sand moment where we stop everything and focus on what is our priority — and it must be water,” he told The Daily Telegraph yesterday.
“We need to not spend years consulting on the environmental impact and how communities feel about where we put dams. We need to get a bulldozer into the soil and build them. If we don’t ease the planning requirements nothing will get built for years and years and nothing is more urgent.”
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would support “any proposals which would further secure water security moving forward” when asked about her stance on the issue.
“The Deputy Premier has indicated he wants to bring a proposal to cabinet and I’m willing to look at that proposal,” she said.
“I think what we need to do is look at it in the context of, if there are any specific proposals which will secure water for certain communities we’ll look at those on their merits and let’s discuss those specifically.”
BARILARO COMMENT: WE NEED NEW DAMS NOW
And in remarks that could foreshadow another fight with the Liberals over funding, Mr Barilaro also said cost should not be a factor that hinders water infrastructure. “We should be building water infrastructure at a level unseen before. If it means pushing the budget into the red, if it means borrowing money that’s OK,” he said.
“Our farmers and businesses are borrowed to the hilt and there’s no reason why government shouldn’t (borrow).”
Mr Barilaro said state and commonwealth planning laws meant “bureaucrats kept putting up road blocks” to getting the water infrastructure built that the state needs.
Any moves to “truncate” planning would need agreement from the federal government and would likely require legislation in state parliament.
Mr Barilaro said he knew he would come under criticism.
“I will be criticised for saying we should limit environmental impact studies and in some cases cut out community consultation all together — but someone has to have the guts to say it. We are elected to make tough decisions in tough times,” he said. “We can’t sit around waiting.”
The government has identified 10 water projects as priorities, which Mr Barilaro says should be delivered sooner, including a Gwydir weir, dams on the Mole River and at Dungowan and underground dams.