Media on the Senate Inquiry Announcement.

[westholme]

The Sydney Morning Herald

Govt senators urges inquiry into Qld Dam
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Govt-senators-urges-inquiry-into-Qld-Dam/2007/02/07/1170524163212.html

February 7, 2007 - 8:54PMAdvertisementAdvertisement

Coalition senators are pushing for a senate inquiry into the controversial Traveston Dam proposal, designed to secure future water supplies for south-east Queensland.

The Beattie government plans to build the Traveston Crossing Dam on the Mary River near Gympie, 160km north of Brisbane, at a cost of more than $1.7 billion.

The dam is a key project in the government's statewide water grid to tackle the worst drought on record, but has attracted bitter opposition.

Nationals Senate leader Ron Boswell gave notice of a motion he plans to introduce to the Senate on February 26, with the support of fellow Queenslander Barnaby Joyce and Liberal Senator Russell Trood.

The senators are concerned about the decision making processes in selecting the site of the proposed dam and want the matter referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs.

"The inquiry would look at alternative sites and costings as well as the social, environmental, engineering and economic impacts of the Traveston Dam," Senator Boswell said.

It would allow the people of the Mary Valley to finally have a say on the issue, he said.

"While the inquiry cannot interfere with the approval or commencement of any project, it will be the first and best opportunity for affected communities to have the whole issue thoroughly investigated and exposed to the light of day," Senator Boswell said.

Senator Joyce said the huge cost of the dam defied logic and there were better alternatives.

"I acknowledge fully that a senate inquiry cannot stop the dam but it can provide the truth which will make obvious what a criminally extravagant waste of money the current Traveston Dam proposal is," he said.

Greens leader Bob Brown said he would support the motion, as the dam would threaten the Mary River ecosystem and farmlands south of Gympie.

"The dam's threat to flood prime food-growing lands as well as the habitat of rare and endangered species, such as the Queensland lungfish and Mary River turtle, would be studied by the Senate committee if it gets enough backing," Senator Brown said.

The Australian Democrats will also support the inquiry motion.

"I am very pleased that this proposed inquiry would be broad enough to examine alternatives beyond destructive dam options in order to secure south-east Queensland's water supply," Democrats senator Andrew Bartlett said.

© 2007 AAP

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Courier Mail


Senate to probe Traveston option
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21189795-3102,00.html

By Lachlan Heywood

February 07, 2007 11:00pm
Article from: The Courier-Mail



SOLUTIONS will be sought to southeast Queensland's water crisis in a wide-ranging Senate inquiry starting this month.

The inquiry will consider "all reasonable" options to tackle the region's water shortage, with a special focus on the controversial Traveston Dam, near Gympie.

Alternative sites to the 180,000-megalitre dam will be examined, along with the project's $1.7 billion price tag and well-publicised environmental and social impacts.

Nationals' Senate Leader Ron Boswell, pictured – supported by Queensland Coalition senators Barnaby Joyce and Russell Trood – yesterday won backing for the inquiry from the Senate party room.

"Now the people of the Mary River will get to have their say, a say denied to them by the Beattie Government," Senator Boswell said.

While the inquiry could not stop the dam, Senator Boswell said it would be the "first and best opportunity" for affected communities to have the issue thoroughly investigated.

Minister for Infrastructure Anna Bligh said the State Government had nothing to fear from the inquiry.

"We would not be proceeding with the Traveston Crossing Dam if we did not think that it would stack up," she said.

However, Ms Bligh said she did not want the Commonwealth to use the inquiry as an excuse to delay a decision under environmental laws.

"The people of southeast Queensland might not be too happy with delays while they're watching existing dam levels fall," she said. "If people want to have a look at it, go ahead, but please don't play politics and mischief in a way that would unnecessarily delay it."

Hearings for the inquiry, starting on February 26,

are expected to be held in Canberra, Brisbane and Gympie.

The first stage of the dam, providing 70,000 megalitres of water a year, was to have been built by the end of 2011. But the project has been condemned by farmers and environmentalists.

Senator Joyce said the inquiry would highlight what an "extravagant waste of money" it would be to build the dam.

"The idea that between $1.6 billion and possibly $4 billion (would) be spent on a stinking swamp defies logic," he said.

Australian Conservation Foundation spokeswoman Kate Noble also welcomed the probe while

Greens leader Senator Bob Brown said all options for solving the crisis could be looked at under the inquiry's terms of reference.


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_________________
CESARE LOMBROSO "The ignorant man always adores what he cannot understand"

[Darren E]

Gympie Times 9-02-07
http://gympietimes.com.au/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3721060&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=

[Bronwyn]

Noosa News 9/2

Frank Wilkie

Report undermines dam plan credibility

A report by international engineering firm Cardno and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) labels the Traveston Dam project as the most expensive and unreliable weapon in the state government's battle to secure the regional water supply.
The review, commissioned by the Mary River Council of Mayors found the proposed dam was economically, enviromentally and socially unviable and inferior to other water provision measures already set in motion by the state government.
"A clear conclusion of this study is that the proposed dam at Traveston Crossing on the Mary River is neither neccessary nor desirable as a part of the portfolio for ensuring supply security to 2050," the report's executive summary stated.
The report found the increase in supply from the dam would not assist in the short-=term during the current severe drought, and was not needed in the longer term.
The dam, which may not fill if current weather patterns continue, was branded a high-cost, high-risk option with high enviromental and social impacts.
Cardno and Professor Stuart White concluded the government's current suite of optioins, including re-use and lower-use measures, can secure south-east Queensland's water supply to 2050.
Noosa's mayor, Mr Bob Abbot, said the report showed the state government had already done more than enough to ensure water supply to south-east Queensland residents and appealed for decision-makers to reconsider their options.
"The real message is that thie state government has done an excellent job in putting that framework together and that they have done a better job than they realise," Mr Abbot said.
"The report shows that the state government has underestimated its supply capacity in their current program and overestimated the long-term demand on the system."
"It is quite clear that supply to 2030 is viable without indirect potable reuse, without a desalination plant on the northern side of Brisbane and definately without a dam."
Mr Abbot appealed for antagonists in the great water debate to "lay down the cudgels".
"It's time to recognise that the state has already got all the pplanning in place to ensure water till 2030, which is a fantastic position to be in and to consider there are far cheaper and more reliable options to resolve the water crisis until 2050," said Mr Abbot.
The report cited less-expensive and more reliable strategies the government may use to secure supply to 2050. Strategies include treated water re-use for industry, flow reduction devices, indirect potable re-use, desalination plants, effluent re-use and water harvesting in new developments and increasing the storage capacity of existing reservoirs.
Minister for Infrastructure, Deputy Premier Anna Bligh hit out angrily at the Council of Mayors saying she had yet to receive a full copy of the report.
"When extended that courtesy, I am prepared to examine it in full and provide my feedback."
The report coincided with a move by Queenslad Federal Senators to launch a senate inquiry into the dam.
"Now the people of the Mary Valley will get to have their say, a say denied them by the Beattie government." Nationals Senator Ron Boswell said.

[Rev Watt]

[Darren E]

Yeah, it's funny isn't it Rev Watt. Heaps of times we've tried to get access to state government documents which should belong to all Queenslanders, only to hit a brick wall. But no-one has yet "extended Anna the courtesy" of giving her a copy of a document paid for by the local shire councils because the state government were too inept to do the study themselves.
How rude!
_________________
"If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything" - anon.
"There can be no liberty for a community which lacks the means by which to detect lies" - Walter Lippman

[savemary]

[elaine]

Soylent green?

[DougHaigh_JenMercer]

[Darren E]

*3a) Note: please remember to go to the toilet first. Polls suggest voters don't like the idea of recycled effluent!
_________________
"If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything" - anon.
"There can be no liberty for a community which lacks the means by which to detect lies" - Walter Lippman

[westholme]

ABC ONLINE
http://abc.net.au/news/australia/qld/sunshine/200702/s1844040.htm
Friday, 9 February 2007. 12:27 (AEST)
Traveston dam Senate inquiry expected soon

Nationals' Senate leader Ron Boswell says the proposed Senate inquiry into the Traveston Crossing dam, in south-east Queensland, project is expected to start within two months.

The Queensland Senator says he has obtained the support of his Coalition colleagues for the inquiry and the motion will be debated in the Senate on February 26.

Cooloola Shire Mayor Mick Vernardos, whose shire will be greatly affected by the proposed dam, says an inquiry will confirm what the residents have been saying since the dam was announced.

"I certainly look forward to the opportunity commonsense will prevail on this one and the truth will come out about the alternatives that are available to Queenslanders," he said.

Meanwhile, the Nationals' Member for Gympie has commended the former member for Noosa, Cate Molloy, for speaking out on what she describes as a "political" decision to build the Traveston Crossing dam.

Ms Molloy says the State Government chose the Mary Valley as the site for the dam because it was a non-Labor electorate.

She says there was an election coming up and the Premier wanted to be seen to be addressing the water crisis.

The Member for Gympie, David Gibson, says it is vital that a Senate inquiry into the dam goes ahead.

"What I think we're seeing now is the unravelling of the con job that this sleazy Beattie Government has done on the people of south-east Queensland," he said.

"Cate Molloy has come out and I commend her for revealing the truth and the truth is that this dam site was chosen for political reasons."

A Sunshine Coast federal Liberal MP says a Senate inquiry into the dam proposal could lead to the project being scrapped.

The Member for Fisher, Peter Slipper, says the inquiry itself will not stop the dam, but it will add further pressure on the Premier to rethink his plan.

"When you look at Peter Beattie, one of his his talents appears to be to at times make an about-turn in a way that doesn't cost him too much political face," he said.

"The fact that this inquiry will take place into the Traveston dam means that more pressure will be put on State Government and hopefully the State Government will reverse this decision - after all, better late than never."

And Deputy Premier Anna Bligh has scoffed at a consulting engineer's report on the dam.

The report, commissioned by the mayors of the Mary Valley, concluded the dam would be a white elephant, and would not resolve south-east Queensland's water supply problems.

In State Parliament yesterday, the Deputy Premier said she had read the report's executive summary and labelled it seriously flawed.

Ms Bligh told Parliament that she was surprised the report recommended a desalination plant on Bribie Island.

"A desalination plant on Bribie island would need to be 60 per cent bigger than the desalination plant at Tugun in order to meet the amount of water produced by the Traveston Crossing dam - I think it's important and hardly surprising that nine mayors got together and decided to do it in someone else's shire," she said.
_________________
CESARE LOMBROSO "The ignorant man always adores what he cannot understand"

[elaine]

Anna's right - yet another shire shouldn't have to fight for its very existence. So, let's build a floating 'island' specifically for numerous unsavory practices - a desal plant, the govt shredding facility and - most importantly! - a new Parliament House!

[westholme]

SUNSHINE COAST DAILY


Senate backs dam inquiry

27.02.2007
By CAROLYN TUCKER MARY Valley residents are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to present their case to a Senate Inquiry into the Traveston dam which could begin hearings as early as next month.

Queensland National Party Senator Ron Boswell yesterday successfully moved a motion to establish the inquiry which will examine the social, environmental, economic and engineering impacts of a range of options to secure future water supplies in the southeast.

Senator Boswell acknowledged the inquiry would not have the power to prevent the dam going ahead but said it would be an important forum for discussing the facts.



Residents in the dam’s path and surrounding areas believe it will finally reveal the truth about the Government’s actions and the reasons for its determination to proceed with the controversial project in the face.

Premier Peter Beattie has already said that he would not appear before the inquiry and he would not allow it to delay construction plans.

Kevin Ingersole from the Save the Mary River Coordinating Group said he expected to be called to give evidence and he would be more than happy to do so.

Mr Ingersole said the community had felt powerless throughout the process and the inquiry would give them a chance to be heard.

“This will be a vehicle for bringing a lot of information before the public,” he said.

“A lot of people in this community have been treated very, very badly.”

Noosa Mayor Bob Abbot welcomed the Senate Inquiry but said he was saddened that it had come to this.

“I’m really disappointed that we need to do this because the Government’s process has been so upside down,” Mr Abbot said.

“There are a lot of people suffering and ... still a number of significant unanswered questions. There has been a determination driving this ... which seems to be beyond the realms of reality.”



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THE AGE


Senate to probe proposed Traveston Dam
http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Senate-to-probe-proposed-Traveston-Dam/2007/02/26/1172338541626.html

February 26, 2007 - 6:49PM


The controversial proposed Traveston Dam in south-east Queensland is to be the subject of a federal parliamentary inquiry.

The Senate's rural and regional affairs committee is to examine the "merits of all options" for additional water supplies in the state's south east.

The Senate agreed to the motion put forward by Nationals Ron Boswell and Barnaby Joyce along with their Liberal Party colleague Russell Trood.

Senator Trood described the decision as a win for the residents of the Mary River Valley.

"I am delighted that the Mary River valley residents will now finally have their say about an environmentally, economically and socially unsound proposal that will not solve the water crisis in south-east Queensland," Senator Trood said in a statement.

The Mary River Council of Mayors last year commissioned an inquiry aimed at stopping construction of the $1.7 billion dam near Gympie.

The report found that the dam would cost almost three times as much as other water supply options.

Areas to be examined by the Senate inquiry include the social, environmental, economic and engineering impact of the various schemes.

© 2007 AAP
_________________
CESARE LOMBROSO "The ignorant man always adores what he cannot understand"

[westholme]

WHO ELSE HAS COVERED THE NEWS OF THE SENATE INQUIRY ANNOUNCEMENT. I find it interesting that the Couier Mail didn't find the Senate Inquiry Announcement to be news worthy. Yet


SYDNEY MORNING HERALD


Senate to probe proposed Traveston Dam
February 26, 2007 - 6:49PM
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Senate-to-probe-proposed-Traveston-Dam/2007/02/26/1172338541626.html
Exactly the same story off AAP as the above AGE story.



QUEENSLAND BUSINESS REVIEW


Senate agrees to Traveston Dam inquiry, Boswell says
Monday 26 February 2007
Exactly the same story as the above AAP ones.

ABC WIDE BAY RURAL

Boswell predicts solid support for Traveston dam Senate inquiry
Monday, 26 February 2007. 12:18 (AEDT)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/items/200702/1856849.htm?widebay

Senate Nationals leader Ron Boswell says he expects strong support for a Senate inquiry into the Queensland Government's proposed Traveston Crossing dam when a vote on the motion is taken today.

Senator Boswell says the inquiry will investigate all reasonable options for additional water supplies in south-east Queensland, including raising the Borumba Dam.

He says it will also examine the social, environmental, economic and engineering impacts of the various proposals.

"Well, I put it through the party - the joint party room - the resolution went through the joint party room, that means that the Liberal and National parties will be supporting it," he said.

"They have a majority in the Senate in their own right and I would be very surprised if the Labor Party, the Democrats and the Greens didn't support it."

Meanwhile Deputy Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says she does not mind how many times the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) investigates land valuations in Gympie's Mary Valley.

The State Government is buying up land to make way for the Traveston Crossing dam.

A senior bureaucrat was paid $1 million more than the owner of a neighbouring block, but the CMC found no evidence of official misconduct.

The Opposition now says the money was paid while the Government was in 'caretaker mode' and it has lodged a fresh complaint with the CMC.

Ms Bligh says several contracts were signed during the election campaign.

"There's nothing to hide here. In fact, a number of contracts were signed during caretaker, that is completely consistent with the caretaker provisions of governments," she said.


ABC ONLINE

Monday, February 26, 2007. 7:03pm (AEDT)
Inquiry into proposed dam at Traveston Crossing
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200702/s1857651.htm

The Senate has agreed to have an inquiry into the proposed dam at Traveston Crossing in Queensland's Mary Valley.

Nationals Senate leader, Ron Boswell, says it will be set up over the next month.

The Democrats Senator, Andrew Bartlett, failed in a bid to have the Wyaralong Dam included in the inquiry.
_________________
CESARE LOMBROSO "The ignorant man always adores what he cannot understand"