In contention since the Labor government came into power earlier this year, funding for the Urannah Dam project was cancelled last week amid claims that the apparent threat of runoff would impact the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
In addition, Labor estimated that only 75 cents from every dollar spent on the project would be returned and that the dam would predominantly be used to facilitate the coal mining industry.
Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox, has been advocating for the construction of Urannah Dam for many years and says that it would have provided much more than water for mining.
“Urannah Dam was the only dam that has been through Infrastructure Australia and has private equity partners ready to go,” he said.
“Urannah Dam ticks all the boxes, provides water for agriculture, tourism, mining, and urban use as well as pumped hydro which will put clean, green electricity directly into the north south grid.
“The UNESCO report is a political convenience for the Federal Labor Government who were never in support of the Urannah project and the many benefits it proposed to the community in central and north Queensland.”
First proposed in the 1960’s, there have been over 25 feasibility studies into the dam, but conflicting viewpoints have always halted the project.
Both Andrew Willcox and Federal Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry are now calling on the government to reinstate funding so the crucial water security plan can be delivered.
“The Urannah Dam site is 270 kilometres from the closest reef, and the dam wall will trap sediment and improve water quality in the downstream catchment,” said Ms Landry.
“Mitigation measures in line with Reef 2050 and Burdekin Water Quality Improvement Plan have been applied in the Urannah project.
“A great deal of effort and adhering to environmental assessment and consideration has gone into the planning of the Urannah Dam to ensure that it ticks all the boxes.”
Rumours have abounded this week that private investment may revitalise hopes that the project will still go ahead with an announcement that Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) have acquired the Bowen Renewable Energy Hub.
Matthew Stuchbery from CIP, however, confirmed they are not investing in the Urannah Dam.
“We have bought pumped hydro, wind, and solar projects off Bowen River Utilities,” he said.
“But there is no connection between these projects and the dam going forward.”
Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox, Senator Matt Canavan and Federal Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry at the Urannah Dam site: Photo: Contributed
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