North Queensland can’t allow Hells Gate to freeze over.
North Queensland’s leading economic development body is calling on the incoming Federal Government to commit to the budgeted Hells Gates Dam funding that would allow necessary pre-construction works to continue while the newly appointed ministries consider the detailed business case that was submitted to Government.
Townsville Enterprise CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith said that keeping the pre-construction program on track was critical to the success of the project, and now that the region had done its part and delivered the detailed business case on time and on budget, the Government had a responsibility to not dam up the project unnecessarily.
“There is no way we can accept the loss of a $5.4b investment into our region, let alone one that will generate such vast and positive economic and social returns for North Queensland,” Ms Brumme-Smith said.
“We have delivered on our commitment to develop and submit the Detailed Business Case to the State and Federal Governments, and now we’re looking for the Federal Government to commit to the funding that has already been allocated to the keep the project moving,” Ms Brumme-Smith said.
“$280m funding is allocated in the budget to progress a range of pre-construction works including the Environmental Impact Statement and detailed water modelling as a part of a whole-of-Burdekin approach to water management, to confirm the opportunities for better economic and environmental outcomes for one of Australia’s most significant river systems.”
“North Queensland is going to grow substantially over the coming decades and that fact is that we will need more water storage capacity in our region to support industry, agriculture, and population growth.”
“We have not built a new dam north of the Tropic of Capricorn in half a century, and if Governments are serious about the development of Northern Australia, then this early-stage pre-construction work needs to continue while the detailed business case is under review.
“The project deliverables are staggered, with delivery gates and a range of mechanisms to ensure that funding delivers the right outcomes, and improves the body of knowledge that we have access to ensure that we get the best economic and environmental outcomes from the Burdekin River.”
