We need to take risks to fix the NSW water, drought crisis

Does it matter if we put the budget into deficit for a period to build dams? If we as a state, in the midst of the worst drought on record, can’t use this crisis, and yes, it’s a crisis then we might as well give it all away, writes John Barilaro.

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As the member for Monaro, I represent a region featuring one of Australia’s most iconic engineering feats: the Snowy Hydro Scheme, consisting of 16 dams, 225km of pipeline and seven power stations.

But a running joke in my part of the world is that if proposed today this project simply wouldn’t be built. Unlike our forefathers, who looked for solutions, today we find only excuses.

Imagine telling a community we would resettle them up a hill because we are going to flood their town to build a dam. Imagine the debate among the public and politicians. In today’s political climate, a Snowy Scheme would be impossible.

The Tumut Pond reservoir in the Snowy Mountains. Picture: Rohan Thomson

The reservoir stretches across the Tumut River. Picture: Rohan Thomson

But, beginning in 1949, they built it. Across party lines, different levels of government, against opposition and most of all without rationalising the economic benefits.

That running joke in the Monaro rings true today across our state. As the worst drought in recorded history continues, with rainfall and inflows to our storages and river system almost at zero, we continue to invent new excuses why we can’t build dams

At my budget estimates hearing last week a point was made that it may be a decade before we see new dams built. My response: “No, my goal is to build some dams in this term of government.” A fair answer and one that I meant.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro. Picture: Rohan Kelly

I left that hearing knowing I would be given a million reasons why we can’t. It’s because as a society and a government we have all been conditioned to find excuses why we won’t be able to achieve something.

I could hear the bureaucrats in my head, talking to report after report of the impacts. Treasury saying it doesn’t fit in a funding program, or the business case doesn’t stack up, or won’t fit in this year’s capital funding limits. And we’re conditioned to just accept it.

So how did our forefathers overcome this? It took individuals to map out a vision, to speak their mind and work with people who have can-do attitudes.

But what if our bureaucrats were directed to just get on with it, and leaders made the tough calls to get this done?

Does it matter if we put the budget into deficit for a period? Our track record of being fiscally responsible means, when the time is right, we will get back in the black.

Should we prioritise government spending? If it means pushing back projects or cutting certain programs, we should be able to explain that.

If we as a state, in the midst of the worst drought on record, can’t use this crisis — and yes, it’s a crisis — then we might as well as give it all away.

I believe the community’s response to the drought shows they would justify it. Our bureaucracy’s whole existence is to serve the elected government of the day — and, more importantly, serve the citizens of NSW, so let’s get things moving.

As for potentially going into debt: well, our farmers and regional businesses have done that already.

It is time to put the running joke in the Monaro over the Snowy Scheme to rest and embrace the nation we once were, a nation that could build the impossible.

John Barilaro is the Deputy Premier of NSW.