SAVE THE MARY RIVER COORDINATING GROUP - MEDIA RELEASE, Thursday October 8th, 2009
Today, in what amounts to an admission that Traveston Crossing dam is not essential for Southeast Queensland's water security, Anna Bligh told reporters that without a successful fishway for lungfish, Traveston Crossing dam would not go ahead.
“The Paradise Court case has clearly shown that fishways that allow lungfish passage are the stuff of dreams. How many more years of research will be done before they admit they are flogging a dead horse?” said secretary of the Save the Mary River Coordinating Group, David Kreutz.
“The Queensland Government has no fishway concept designs, no prototypes, no trials, nothing! They will fail, just as they did at Paradise.
“The $24 million fishway built for Paradise Dam has been a complete failure, with only 3 juvenile lungfish using the fishway in 3 years of operation,” said Roger Currie from Wide Bay Burnett Conservation Council, the organization taking legal action regarding lungfish passage at Paradise Dam.
“Paradise fishway had been touted as the blueprint for Traveston but now all mention of this failed technology has been conveniently removed from documents as if Paradise is a bad dream,” continued Mr Currie.
“While the Premier dreams of lungfish ladders, the bills keep mounting on this unviable Traveston proposal. Time keeps slipping by and South East Queensland’s water security is put at risk by cost-blowouts and the inexcusable delay in pursuing alternatives,” said Mr Kreutz.
“It is all time and money that should be used to install reliable and non-rainfall dependent alternatives rather than an extraordinarily expensive and inefficient dam that would be empty in a drought.
“Both the Premier and Minister Hinchcliffe have been trying to convince South East Queensland that Traveston was essential for water security. Now the Premier is saying we have to wait and see if we can get the fishway to work! You can’t have it both ways,” said Darryl Stewart, president of the Greater Mary Association.
“Are they asking for 10 years, like the Solicitor General has just asked for on the Paradise Dam? Does this admission by the Premier mean that she has finally digested the fact that, despite all the spin, Traveston will not provide water security?” asked Mr Stewart.
“The fact is Traveston has never stacked up economically as a secure water supply. SEQs water security can and should be ensured by other means which don’t require years of research into dead-end ideas and waste billions of taxpayers’ dollars,” said Mr Kreutz.
“Don’t risk SEQ’s water security Premier. Call off Traveston before another cent is wasted,” he concluded.
Media contacts:
David Kreutz (Save the Mary River Coordinating Group) 043 268 3147
Roger Currie (Wide Bay Burnett Conservation Council) 044 801 0786
Darryl Stewart (Greater Mary Association) 041 877 1655
