It’s been more than six months since the Queensland State Labor Government stated Paradise Dam could not be reinstated and a new wall needed to be built.

The business case and approvals process has begun but don’t expect any of that to happen in a hurry. The business case isn’t expected until the end of 2025 – you read that right, 2025.

You may not recall that in 2020 the then Palaszczuk Government rushed legislation through the parliament – an amendment tacked onto another unrelated bill – to tear the wall down five metres.

The amendments, which meant Sunwater didn’t have to obtain any other approvals to reduce the height of the spillway, didn’t go through the usual scrutiny by not only the parliament but the public, as would usually be the case.

So, if the State Labor Government was prepared to rush through legislation to knock the wall down, why aren’t they prepared to do the same when it comes to building a new dam wall?

The public was told in January a new dam wall would be built immediately downstream of the current wall, but it would basically be the same project.

If the new wall will create the same dam footprint then why does the environmental approvals process have to start back at square one?

At a time when intermittent wind and solar projects are being approved left, right and centre, I can’t see the same happening for Paradise Dam. Why not? Because Labor Government’s of all levels don’t like building dams.

September will mark five years since issues with the dam were made public and a reduction in capacity was needed due to safety concerns.

Let’s not forget this announcement was made in the middle of a drought and the Queensland State Labor Government tried to spin it as “free water” for all. How much of the 100,000 megalitres actually made it onto farms or into on-farm dams for storage? How much of it ended out at sea?

Bundaberg region growers and producers waited more than two years to find out if the wall would be reinstated, and then two years later were told it can’t be fixed and a new wall was needed. How much longer will they wait? It’s anyone’s guess.

In February work to upgrade about 10kms of the road to Paradise Dam started to support the new dam project, even though there is no indication of when work will actually begin.

The Queensland State Labor Government seems to think that building a road is enough to keep the punters happy that a project is moving ahead, but I don’t think the people will be fooled.

Published in Bundaberg Today 02-08-2024