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The Mayor of Cairns Regional Council has come out swinging over the granting of funding for water projects in the Townsville and Bundaberg areas, claiming Cairns’ looming water shortage is a higher priority.
Council has applied to both the Federal and State Governments for $107.5-million each to fund the $215-million Cairns Water Security – Stage 1 Project.
Mayor Bob Manning today released a statement after both levels of government this week committed $600 million each to the Paradise Dam project in the Wide Bay-Burnett region.
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“I, the Deputy Mayor and the CEO met with Hon Curtis Pitt MP and Mr Michael Healy MP today on this, and I told them that the slow progress by the state on our water security project, in this matter is not fair on the city,” he said.
“The Queensland Government needs to re-prioritise its funding of the Cairns Water Security– Stage 1 Project with a greater urgency.
“There must be a sense of urgency when we are talking about something as critical as fresh drinking water.
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“We need to get serious about this.”
He said since Council made its application to the state government, the Townsville Haughton Pipeline has also received $195-million of state funding, despite a failed business case.
“The whole reason Cairns has a water problem today is because of decades-long underinvestment by successive state and federal governments,” Cr Manning said in the statement.
“Let’s not forget here, that only recently both state and federal governments decided not to support Nullinga Dam.
“There was no alternative brought forward.”
In response to the funding request, Queensland Water Minister Glenn Butcher has asked the Council to put together a detailed business, indicating no funding will be forthcoming until it’s completed and even then, only if Council can demonstrate it can’t pay for the project itself.
“If they want to talk about business cases, let’s look at Townsville where the state is investing $420 million right now to support water security,” Cr Manning said.
“The Townsville Haughton Stage 2 project had a business case that failed and yet it’s still proceeding with $195 million of state funding.
“Council’s proposal … is comprehensively planned and well developed.
“The state was actively involved in the development of that strategy.”
State Member for Cairns, Michael Healy, told Tropic Now processes need to be followed.
“12 months ago, Council started asking for water money,” he said.
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“The Council is trying to wedge the feds (federal government) for a commitment.
“The budget process at a state government level is underway.
“The Minister has not said no, but there are processes.”
The federal budget is due to be handed down next month, ahead of this year’s election.
Federal Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch indicated there would be no money for the project and said the federal government usually only funds water infrastructure for agriculture, not urban water projects.
However, he said if the project doesn’t go ahead it will impact on Lake Tinaroo, which justifies federal government involvement.
“The Council have been down a few roads in terms of water security, including Behana and Nullinga, so I understand why it’s got to this,” he said.
“I’ve put forward an argument that we can be part of this because if the worst happens, they’ll have to take water from Tinaroo, which is fully allocated and which would have a significant impact on the Tablelands.
“There is an agricultural component there because if we don’t find another solution they’ll have no option other than to take from Tinaroo.
“I would encourage the Mayor to focus on the state (for funding) but it’s got to happen.”
Main points
- Cairns Regional Council Mayor says the city's looming shortage of drinking water should be the highest priority for funding
- The Townsville & Wide Bay/Burnett regions have recently received hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from both levels of government
- The Council has been asked by the State Government to deliver a detailed business case on its proposal
