Toowoomba council: Kerry Shine motions over recycled water, Emu Creek fail to pass in final meeting before 2024 election
A proposal to look back into the controversial topic of recycled water has been rejected by Toowoomba Regional Council, just days before residents head to the polls.
Council
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Councillor Kerry Shine has failed to secure passage of two motions over water security, in the tensely-debated final meeting of the Toowoomba Regional Council before the next election on March 16.
Mr Shine’s motion proposing a feasibility study into recycled drinking water in the Toowoomba region was defeated 4-7 on Tuesday following a lengthy debate.
The study, which was suggested could cost at least $150,000, would’ve explored the options for both direct and indirect recycled water from the Wetella waste treatment plant.
Direct recycled water, where water would be treated and sent straight to the water plant at Mount Kynoch, is currently not legal in Queensland.
The council has included indirect recycled water, where the treated water would first go into Cooby Dam before travelling to Mount Kynoch, as a long-term project in its 2071 Water Vision report.
However, the document suggests the 15ML per day proposal would not be enough to ensure Toowoomba had enough water supply for the next 50 years.
Mr Shine said Toowoomba residents had “matured” since the controversial Poo-woomba plebiscite about recycled water during the days of mayor Di Thorley.
“The general feedback I get from the community is that times have changes in 20 years — we should look at all possible alternatives,” he said.
“We have matured as a community in the years since 2007, and a decision against this motion will suggest council has not progressed in 20 years.”
While Mr Shine secured support from colleagues James O’Shea, Megan O’Hara Sullivan and Carol Taylor, he earned a strong rebuke led by deputy mayor Rebecca Vonhoff.
“The motion before us is a duplication of what’s been done — the (Water Vision) report talks about reuse, it talks about the third pipe scheme and industrial demand, to the point that suburbs are specified,” she said.
“I understand you want to do something about recycled water, as is your right, but it’s not this.”
Councillor Bill Cahill said completing a report solely on recycled water would see it “jump the queue” on council’s priorities list.
The failed vote came straight after Mr Shine couldn’t get the council to rescind its January motion commissioning a report into Emu Creek Dam, reported to cost $50,000.
On that matter, Mr Shine said his opposition to Ms Vonhoff’s original motion was strengthened when he heard the acting director-general of the Queensland Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water Linda Dobe tell a business conference in February that it would not support any new dams in catchments where water entitlements were fully allocated.
Emu Creek sits within the Cressbrook catchment, which Mr Shine said made investigating the proposal a non-starter.
“People might be crying out for new dams because they’re also crying out of the rates we have to pay, (because) bear in mind we’ll have to wear the full cost of it,” he said.
“Water security is important (but) I believe we must practice what we preach, and to raise expectations on the eve of an election is not responsible.”
Mr Shine also appeared to take aim at Ms Vonhoff for her original motion, which earned significant media coverage.
“Yes it may generate good press, but what is popular is not always what is right,” he said.
“We try to project an image of being financially responsible, and yet we apply for a pie-in-the-sky project.”
In her argument against repealing the motion, councillor Nancy Sommerfield accused Mr Shine of hypocrisy over his support for a report into recycled water.
“We look at the argument for it is that $50,000 must not be spent, but (in the next motion) let’s spend $150,000 to $200,000 on another report,” she said.
“I feel this is a bit of a political stunt to be honest.”
The motion was lost 3-8.
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