Pioneer-Burdekin formal objection vote delayed by Mackay council

Two state Labor MPs have said whatever the result of the vote, it won’t affect their plans for Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro scheme.

Mackay council votes to table motion rejecting the Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro scheme on June 26, 2024.

The motion to formally object to the controversial Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Scheme has met an anti-climatic end as cooler heads prevailed in the council chambers.

Councillor George Christensen introduced a motion to have council “take a stand” against the project.

The proposal was met with confusion by many of Mr Christensen’s fellow councillors, who felt that it would position council against a project that was out of its scope, and still being investigated.

Councillor Ash-Lee Johnson introduced an amendment to the motion, proposing that council assist Queensland Hydro determine other potential locations for the scheme in the region, to which Councillor Martin Bella strenuously objected.

“Councillor Johnson is saying she cares about the people displaced by this scheme,” Mr Bella said.

“Wherever we put it will affect people.

“Why are some more important than others?”

Speaking against both the amendment and the motion, Mr Bella argued that no area of bushland should be considered more important than the other.

Martin Bella, Mackay Regional Councillor. Photo: Daryl Wright.

“The ironbark scrub is just as important to the environment as the rainforest,” he said.

“Just because something is not as pretty does not mean it’s not as ecologically valuable.”

Speaking before the vote, Kylie Porter, CEO of the Greater Whitsundays Alliance said the investigations need to be completed before any investment decisions are made.

Will it matter?

Mackay MP Julieanne Gilbert and Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said the vote wouldn’t change the way the Labor Party is approaching the project.
“It is very short sighted that some members of council would bring on a vote like this so early before the real information is out there to see what impacts their would be,” Ms Gilbert said.
“Investors from overseas want to bring their companies here and be next to the biggest renewable energy project there is in the world.”

Ms Gilbert said the pumped hydro project would be crucial to diversifying Mackay’s sugar industry, where we could instead compete on our green energy credentials instead of the lowest price of production.

“If Mackay’s industry is not developed we will be reliant on the cost of sugar and the cost of coal, year after year.”
She said it’s kids in the classrooms today that will suffer without the jobs of the future being created.

Queensland Hydro CEO Kieran Cusack stood before council to stress the significance of pumped hydro energy storage to Queensland’s renewable transition.

“The renewable transition can drive the next phase of significant economic growth for Mackay and the Greater Whitsundays,” Mr Cusack said.

“It will support up to 3,500 jobs during peak construction including apprentices and graduates providing this region’s workforce and businesses new opportunities right here in Mackay.”

Mackay Regional Council deputy mayor Belinda Hassan and mayor Greg Williamson. Photo: Zoe Devenport

Mr Cusack also indicated that the Greater Whitsundays might miss out on the predicted $240B in economic opportunity and 84,000 new jobs net zero will bring the North Queensland, according to an April, 2024 report released by Deloitte.

“It will help deliver green energy for the sugar industry’s diversification into biofuels, aviation fuel, food protein products and beyond,” he said.

“Pumped hydro is unquestionably right.”

In response Councillor George Christensen said, “It will cast a long shadow over the wellbeing of our communities”.

“At the heart of this issue is the displacement of our people and disruption of our land in the Pioneer Valley.”

Councillor May spoke against the motion calling it premature.

“I have never been asked to support a motion where we haven’t had a report on what we decide,” Ms May said.

“We are not the experts here.”

Councillor Alison Jones proposed tabling the motion until further information could be gathered.

“Council should not decide until after the investigation and community consultation are undertaken,” Ms Jones said.

The procedural motion to lay it on the table was passed with Mayor Williamson, Martin Bella, Alison Jones, Karen May, Heath Paton, Ash-Lee Johnson and Belinda Hassan voting in favour.

George Christensen, Nathenea MacRae, Namarca Corowa and Peter Sheedy voted against.

This is a state government issue, Mr Bella said.

“Council should stay in its lane.”

Originally published as Pioneer-Burdekin formal objection vote delayed by Mackay council