Labor matches Coalition’s election pledge for $10m to upgrade Bureau of Meteorology weather radar in western Queensland

There has been bipartisan support for a $10m weather radar over South West Queensland after a lack of foresight left farmers unprepared for flooding.

Labor has announced they will match the coalition’s $10m election commitment towards a new weather radar for the region after flooding across the South West left tens of thousands of livestock dead and outback towns underwater.

On Tuesday, Emergency Management Minister Senator Jenny McAllister announced Labor would support the commitment, pledged by the Nationals leader David Littleproud and Opposition leader Peter Dutton during a visit to the flood-impacted community of Thargomindah.

Farmers and politicians in the region have been hyper critical of BOM’s weather predictions siting a mapping hole across South West Queensland as a reason they were left scrambling.

“By the time they started to forecast the 200mm plus of rain we’d already had 50-75mm the day before so we were moving stock in water and that’s a lot of rain for a nine inch rainfall country,” Eromanga farmer Brendan Murray previously told the Western Star.

“We tried desperately to get them out on the Sunday but it is a 100,000 acre property you can’t be everywhere in one day we just didn’t have time.

“Two or three weeks earlier they forecast 200mm of rain at Birdsville and they got 5mm, they cried wolf so many times no one believed them.”

Nationals leader David Littleproud with Bulloo Shire Council mayor John Ferguson and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

Mayor Ben Hall had echoed this.

“We couldn’t have stopped the rain but if we had a bit more warning from BOM, the capacity to be assured of what we are looking at would’ve been adventitious,” he said.

“If we had adequate radar systems for warning of what was to come the losses would be nowhere near as high as they are.”

3yr old Ashlee Stevenson standing where flood water covered her family property near Quilpie.

Mr Littleproud, said the bipartisan support would give residents of Western Queensland a greater chance to prepare for future weather events.

“The community has called for a new radar near Quilpie and we will deliver it,” Mr Littleproud said in a press release.

“In recent days, I’ve heard first-hand harrowing stories of survival. If families had been given more notice, they would have easily had time to get to safety. Instead, some have been forced to fight for their lives. That’s why this is important.

“The announcement of Labor matching the Coalition’s commitment towards installing a new weather radar near Quilpie is most welcome, especially as communities across the Maranoa electorate continue to feel the impacts of this significant flooding event.”

Shadow Environment spokesman Senator Jonno Duniam agreed.

“Regional communities, including graziers, need accurate weather data to make the right decisions, or else they are flying blind,” he said.

Originally published as Labor matches Coalition’s election pledge for $10m to upgrade Bureau of Meteorology weather radar in western Queensland