0:00
'Queensland Water' is in charge of all the water projects outside of southeast Queensland.
0:07
One project is in the Burdekin Basin west of MacKay. And that is the Urannah Dam project, which is due to begin construction in 2022. The environmental impact statement has not yet been prepared.
0:22
This project is highly controversial. It has opposition by First Nations and environmental groups. Specifically because of the nature of the dam. It's part of a network of dams that exists in that Burdekin Basin, the headwaters begin up in the rain forest, and that water is very important for the health of the reef, of course, damming it will prevent that flow down to the reef in that part of the world. And this is a problem for the ecology of the reef.
0:57
It'll be interesting to see how Queensland Water move forward with this. Whatever is the case both the Minister and the Board of Queensland Water should be held tightly to account for a project that appears to be in the interests of local irrigation farming and the coal industry in that area. The government is building up more public infrastructure.
1:25
There are some very large coal mines and ports in that area just to mention, one is the Hay Point terminal just south of MacKay. So this is something that we flag on 4 PR - Voice of the People.
1:39
Have a listen to the show the paradigm shift on community radio 4ZZZ in the link down below, because it covers a lot of these issues in interviews with local activists who are opposed to the dam.
1:53
Ian Curr,
23 April 2021
