Traveston dam cost taxpayers $460m
2:44p.m. 7th January 2009
No Dam: Anti-dam protesters celebrated as news came that the project had been put on hold for several years. Photo: Jason Dougherty/179625
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The proposed Traveston Crossing Dam in south-east Queensland may be in mothballs, but taxpayers have already forked out more than $460 million although not one load of concrete has yet been poured.
Deputy premier and infrastructure and planning minister Paul Lucas released the figure in response to a Question on Notice from the state opposition.
On November 25, Premier Anna Bligh told parliament the contentious dam, part of the state government’s response to prolonged drought and south-east Queensland’s burgeoning population, would be delayed for up to five years.
Mr Lucas said Queensland Water Infrastructure (QWI) spent $461.6 million - out of a total budget of $1.592 billion - on land purchases, environmental impact statements, indigenous and community matters, geotechnical investigations, preliminary dam design, design for roads and other infrastructure, weed control and a seedling trial.
He said QWI would continue to voluntarily purchase land required for the project, while continuing investigations and design.
State opposition deputy leader Mark McArdle labelled the spending a disgrace.
“I can’t remember ever seeing a project where $461 million has been spent and not one slab of concrete has been poured,” Mr McArdle said.
“How does this government expect to run the state when in the very best of times they can’t even produce one slab of concrete on an issue they believe is pivotal now the bad times have hit?
"This amounts to most expensive wad of paper in the history of this state.
"The dam has been delayed by up to four years, so $461 million, we’ve got nothing to show for it, not a drop of water, not a slab of concrete poured and we are now waiting another four years before this government makes a move.
"It’s an absolute sham. It’s a disgrace."
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Recent Comments
How sad that we, as tax payers have nothing to show for the money spent.
It is also important not to propagate the notion that the project has been 'shelved' (created in the media to appease urban green voters prior to the election). The Bligh government has announced its full intention to proceed full steam ahead with all aspects of the project apart from actually building the dam. All that has changed is that the Coordinator General has correctly recognized that the project is unlikely to get the required federal environmental approvals. So, instead of cancelling the project the Bligh Government has decided to delay the federal assessment process and seek a 'conditional approval' (a la Gunns pulp mill) and continue with its unabated destruction of the communities and environment of the Mary Valley.
I predict a huge increase in mining and extractive industries and monoculture forestry on the Mary Valley flood plain and the continued harrassment of the working families of the Mary Valley in 2009 under this current government.
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