Maryborough MP Bruce Saunders fighting for Paradise Dam pipeline

Bundaberg farmers have hit back at the Maryborough MP’s call to pump Paradise Dam water to the Fraser Coast saying he should instead look at is own backyard.

The state water minister has shot down the suggestion a pipeline be built between Paradise Dam and Hervey Bay.

It comes after Maryborough MP Bruce Saunders suggested the pipeline would help solve the region’s water security issues.

Water Minister Glenn Butcher ruled out the possibility of building a pipeline to the Fraser Coast this week.

“The Queensland Government is not considering a pipeline from Paradise Dam to Lenthalls Dam,” he said.

“The Fraser Coast Regional Council is currently doing some work to look at water security and its ability to meet the future water needs for its growing population.

“We are in contact with the FCRC regularly on this issue and are happy to work with them on a long term solution.

“We work closely with councils across the state to support them on their responsibility to meet the urban water supply needs of their communities.

“I look forward to visiting Lenthalls Dam with Bruce Saunders in the coming weeks and continuing these important discussions with the Fraser Coast Regional Council.

“Since 2015, the Queensland Government has spent over $2.6 billion on water infrastructure and planning to ensure water security for Queenslanders.”

Meanwhile Bundaberg region farmers hit back at Mr Saunders’ call for water from Paradise Dam to be shared with the Fraser Coast.

Mr Saunders said water from Paradise Dam should be piped to the Fraser Coast, claiming it is the only way to ensure water security for the Fraser Coast and that it was not Bundaberg water, but Queensland water.

Childers cane and macadamia grower Joe Russo has farmed in the Bundaberg region his entire life and disagreed with the MP’s comments.

“Mr Saunders needs to brush up on his history” Mr Russo said.

“A dam on the Burnett River, for the purposes of irrigation and urban water supplies for the Bundaberg area, has been earmarked since 1970.”

Mr Russo said it was Bundaberg that had rallied for 35 years for Paradise Dam to be built.

“It was our Labor member for Bundaberg, Nita Cunningham, who finally got it built, but sadly the dam was much smaller than originally planned,” he said.

“The original dam was always intended to be much larger than the 300,000ml dam that was finally built in 2005.

“To suggest there is enough water in the system to supply the long-term needs of the Bundaberg region and the Fraser Coast is ludicrous, especially when Paradise Dam hasn’t even been reinstated yet.”

Maryborough MP Bruce Saunders’ comments have rubbed Bundaberg farmers the wrong way. Picture Lachie Millard

Mr Russo didn’t mince words, saying the Maryborough MP should have a better plan for water security than relying on a “broken dam that still needs to be fixed”.

Tom Marland, the Bundaberg lawyer who is leading the Paradise Dam class action, said he was disappointed to see a Labor member for a regional seat like Maryborough trying to “poach” water from another Labor regional seat like Bundaberg.

“The Bundaberg region should not be penalised because the Labor Government has failed to invest in water infrastructure over the last 20-plus years,” he said.

“Surely Mr Saunders would be better off working with the new Member for Bundaberg Tom Smith to lobby for greater water security for both their regional communities rather than trying to poach water from a small dam which has just been cut in half.”

Mr Marland splashed blame at the Labor Government.

“For decades, regional communities like Maryborough, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Coalstoun Lakes and others have been screaming out for long-term, strategic investment in water infrastructure, but the Labor Government has not had the foresight to invest in crucial infrastructure like dams,” he said.

“It’s clear the best long-term solution for the Fraser Coast is for a decent dam to be built on the Mary River, which is very reliable and flows right through Mr Saunders’ hometown of Maryborough.

“If the Labor governments of the last 30 years have not had the foresight to invest in crucial infrastructure like a dam on the Mary River, that shouldn’t become Bundaberg’s problem.”

Saunders calls for pipeline to the Fraser Coast

If $600 million is going to be spent on Paradise Dam by his party’s Government, Maryborough MP Bruce Saunders wants the Fraser Coast to be a winner too.

Paradise Dam will be returned to its full capacity with Federal Government also committing $600 million to help fix it – but Mr Saunders said while it was being fixed, it would be a good time to install a pipeline to the Fraser Coast’s Lenthalls Dam to ensure water security for the region.

It comes after the Fraser Coast Regional Council was forced to introduce the toughest water restrictions in more than a decade in November when Lenthalls Dam, the main water supply for the growing city of Hervey Bay and surrounding suburbs, fell to less than half its capacity.

“Council is introducing level 3 water restrictions for the Hervey Bay water supply network for the first time since 2007 to try to reduce daily water use by at least 20 per cent and slow down the reduction of Lenthalls Dam,” Mayor George Seymour said at the time.

Maryborough, which gets its main water supply from Teddington Weir was moved to level 2 water restrictions.

Since then, heavy rain has filled Lenthalls Dam and Teddington Weir to capacity.

Mr Saunders said the region had effectively been saved by the La Nina effect, which brought with it heavy rain in December and January and tragically, also caused significant flooding in Maryborough.

Paradise Dam, Photo Paul Beutel

Mr Saunders said he understood his proposal might ruffle feathers in Bundaberg, which is also a Labor-held seat.

“But it’s not Bundaberg water, it’s Queensland water,” he said.

“It belongs to everyone.

“It has to be looked at. We’re going to be in dire need in the future if we don’t do it now.”

Mr Saunders said the water was needed to support the Fraser Coast’s growing population – a growth rate expected to surpass Bundaberg’s in the next five years – as well as its manufacturing and farming industries.

“This will ensure the region can move ahead,” he said.

Two years ago, the State Government lowered the Bundaberg dam’s spillway, slashing its capacity in half, over safety issues and concerns over the strength of its wall after damage from a flood in 2013.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk committed to restoring it to its full 300,000 megalitre capacity at a $1.2 billion price tag which will be funded as a 50/50 split with the Federal Government.

The significant loss of water capacity caused major concerns for farmers and irrigators in the region who had been campaigning for it to be restored to its original height after the wall was lowered.

Ms Palaszczuk, when announcing the state funding earlier this week, said the funding would be a game changer for families.

“We’re working closely with the federal government to secure funding. But … regardless of federal support, I am fully committed to rebuilding Paradise Dam,” she said.

Maryborough MP Bruce Saunders.

Originally published as Maryborough MP Bruce Saunders fighting for Paradise Dam pipeline