By Dominique Tassell
An item regarding Emu Swamp Dam water allocations was not included in the agenda for last week’s Ordinary Council Meeting.
A Council representative stated that “Item 18.2 was not on the agenda on the website as it was a late item”.
When asked why it was not added as a supplementary item online, they stated that “it isn’t always possible to update the website with late items”.
“Nothing sinister. Just the process.”
The motion stated that “based on the three valuation reports obtained, Council approve the sale for the transfer of 450ML of water allocation from Storm King Dam to Emu Swamp Dam and to approve the execution of the Water Rights Option Deed as attached to the report, noting that the Water Rights Option Deed includes rigorous protections for Council if the project does not proceed or is not satisfactorily completed.”
The motion was moved by Cr Andrew Gale and seconded by Cr Jo McNally.
The Mayor and Cr Stephen Tancred remained in the room but did not vote on the item, and Cr Cameron Gow left the meeting while the motion was discussed.
This comes after Emu Swamp Dam received an additional $126.5 million in funding in the Coalition’s federal budget.
The funding announcement came two weeks after the Guardian Australia reported that the projects’ costs had blown out.
The 12,000 megalitre dam was initially pitched with a cost of $84m. Most of this funding was to be provided by different levels of government.
The federal government allocated $47m to the dam while the Queensland government allocated $13.6m.
The Guardian Australia reported that estimates for construction of the dam had increased to more than $200m, leaving the Granite Belt Irrigation Project in need of extra funding.
Reportedly, the National Water Grid advisory body had not been made aware of any cost blowout, or any government plans to allocate additional funding to Emu Swamp Dam.
The body was established by the government in 2020 to scrutinise major water projects and was disbanded after the Coalition’s federal budget was announced.
