Bradfield architect Sir Leo Hielscher puts trust in Liberal National Party

The architect of the multi-billion dollar New Bradfield water diversion scheme says he does not believe Labor will ever build the long-mooted irrigation project.

Sir Leo Hielscher and Sir Frank Moore with a map of the planned water way from North Queensland to South Australia. Picture: AAP

The architect of the multi-­billion-dollar New Bradfield water diversion scheme says he does not believe Labor will ever build the long-mooted irrigation project.

Former senior public servant Leo Hielscher, 94, was a notable guest at the Liberal National Party’s campaign launch in Brisbane on Sunday in what was a rare tacit indication of party support from the usually reserved veteran.

He was joined by tourism industry figurehead Frank Moore, 89, his co-author of the LNP’s New Bradfield Scheme.

Sir Leo told The Australian Labor’s pre-election commitment to create a panel to “conduct a comprehensive govern­ment examination of the Bradfield inland irrigation scheme” was designed to weaken the LNP’s pitch for its flagship infrastructure project.

He said he did not believe Labor would follow through with the scheme. “They haven’t done it,” he said. “I’m supporting the party that will do the job.

“The others (Labor) have had a chance and now they are only coming out really to sprag what (the LNP is) talking about.”

Sir Leo, who joined the public service in 1942, was favoured by both sides of politics throughout his long career.

He served as under treasurer in the Bjelke-­Peterson era and later as chairman of the Queensland Treasury Corporation Board.

Former Labor premier Anna Bligh named Brisbane’s Gateway Bridge and its new duplicate after him in 2010.

The New Bradfield Scheme designed by Sir Leo and Sir Frank is an updated version of the plan first raised by John Bradfield in 1938.

It would involve water being diverted from the South Johnstone, Tully, Herbert and Burdekin rivers along the coast into a dramatically increased Hells Gates Dam, west of Townsville.

The water would be used to ­irrigate 80,000sq km of rich black-soil plains west of the Great Dividing Range before being diverted into the Murray Darling Basin and would gen­erate enough electricity to power 800,000 homes.

After viewing a video showing an artist’s impression of a flyover of the Bradfield project, Sir Leo said: “That’s the ultimate.”

He said investment in industries was the best way to boost the state’s economy.

“We found after a while that every time we spent $100m on a coalmine in the Bowen Basin, someone spent $300m in Brisbane, Mackay, Rockhampton or Townsville,” Sir Leo said.

“Now we’ve got one of the best cities in the world and it’s all come from the hinterland.”

Sir Frank said the project would lift production and the way of living in regional towns.