Butcher announces funding for Paradise Dam rebuild and discount extension for Bundaberg irrigators
The Queensland government announced funding for the Paradise Dam rebuild and extension of irrigation discount in measures it says will provide water security and cost of living relief to growers in the region.
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The state government has allocated funding for the early phases of the Paradise Dam rebuild, in an announcement welcomed as “pleasing” by agriculture groups in the region.
Speaking at a media conference in Bundaberg, Minister for Water Glenn Butcher announced the allocation of $116.4m for pre-construction work on the dam ahead of the commencement of major construction in late-2024.
Initial work by water service provider Sunwater has begun on improvements to Paradise Dam Road enabling access to the dam by heavy machinery, Mr Butcher said.
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The funding will also be used for the detailed design phase of the project, building of temporary accommodation for construction workers and procurement of materials including concrete required for the rebuild.
Mr Butcher also announced the extension of the 15 per cent irrigation water discount for irrigators and growers using the Sunwater irrigation scheme through to 2024-25.
Member for Bundaberg Tom Smith said that the two measures will provide cost of living relief and confidence to the regional economy through enhanced water security.
“We know that every little bit helps, especially during the cost of living pressures that are affecting growers all over Australia,” Mr Smith said.
“So to know that we can continue our 15 per cent discount into the future is a big win for our local growers, who are quite often small family businesses.
“These continued works on Paradise Dam show our commitment to ensuring that we are delivering that restoration of what is a critical water infrastructure project, not just for the Bundaberg region, but really for the strength and security of the entire agriculture and horticulture industries right across Queensland.”
Local sweet potato grower Dean Akers said that the government’s commitment to water security and cost of living relief for local businesses enables him to make plans for the future including in securing farm labour, paying suppliers and investing revenue back into his operation.
“It‘s all from the back of being guaranteed water, so the guarantee of water gives us the confidence to move forward and make our businesses prosper,” Mr Akers said.
Executive director of the Bundaberg Ag-Food and Fibre Alliance Dean Holliss was “very pleased” by the funding announcement, but called for the 50 per cent irrigation water discount available to the horticultural industry to be extended to sugarcane growers.
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“The commencement of works on Paradise Dam, while we‘d like to see it happen faster, is very pleasing and will allow for expansion and better security of irrigation water for the region into the future,” Mr Holliss said.
“I can’t see why the irrigation discount isn’t 50 per cent for irrigated sugarcane, the same as it is for irrigated horticulture. But having said that I’m very pleased to see it continuing.”
An independent inquiry in 2020 found structural and stability issues in Paradise Dam, located on the Burnett River 80km southwest of Bundaberg.
The Palaszczuk government made a 2021 election promise to commit $600m to repairing the dam, which was matched by the federal Labor government in 2022.
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