Qld: Opposition vows to fast-track dam's construction

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2006
Qld: Opposition vows to fast-track dam's construction

By Nikki Todd, State Political Correspondent

BRISBANE, April 19 AAP - The Queensland opposition has vowed to start construction
of the much-needed Wyaralong Dam in the state's south-east within its first term of government.

The promise was made as the coalition slammed the Beattie government over its failure
to provide adequate water supplies to south-east Queensland.

Dubbing Water Minister Henry Palaszczuk the "Minister for No Water" in parliament today,
the Opposition said a dam was urgently needed in the populous corner of the state, which
is in its worst drought in 100 years.

The Beattie government, in its South-East Queensland Infrastructure Plan, has pledged
to build the Wyaralong Dam, near Beaudesert south of Brisbane, by 2026.

But Opposition leader Lawrence Springborg said it would fast-track the project should
it win power at the next election.

The new dam would provide an additional 35,000 megalitres of water a year to south-east
Queensland.

"South-east Queensland could run out of water within two years because the Beattie
Labor government has failed to get the basics right and ensure our rapidly growing population
has enough water," Mr Springborg said.

"We don't have 20 years to wait, we face a water crisis right now."

But Premier Peter Beattie rejected the notion his government had fallen behind in water
infrastructure planning.

"We have had a long term strategy which is being implemented," Mr Beattie told reporters.

"There is a number of things that need to be done and we are doing them all, and that
includes dams.

"We are the only government in Australia that's built a dam in the last 10 years, and
that is at Paradise (near Bundaberg)."

Mr Beattie said in addition to that, his government was establishing the Water Commission,
was lifting spillways of existing dams, and was developing a water grid based around water
recycling, desalination, and conservation methods.

AAP nt/sc/cjh/sd

KEYWORD: WATER

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