Second report has Nullinga in limbo

A MORE detailed business case for the Nullinga Dam will not be released by the State Government for at least another 12 months.

Building Queensland has confirmed it has started discussions with SunWater and the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy to develop a detailed business case for the $425 million project, which would improve irrigation and provide more water security.

The preliminary business case for the dam was released by the agency on Friday, which says the option of designing the project is “not recommended until a satisfactory level of certainty of demand was met”.

The report suggests the dam proposal is unworkable, stating it is less effective than the existing Tinaroo Falls Dam, and the proposed dam site near the Walsh River suffers from inefficiency issues.

However the study does not take into consideration an offer made by MSF Sugar in September to underwrite the cost of the dam as part of the company’s expansion plans in the region.

Building Queensland chief executive Damian Gould said the business case, which he expected to be completed within the first half of 2019, would further investigate the construction of the Nullinga Dam and improvements to the existing water-supply scheme.

“The detailed business case will analyse the project’s economic and financial viability, taking into consideration social and environmental impacts,” he said.

The preliminary business study took nine months to be released with Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch saying it appeared the Palaszczuk government was doing everything it could to ensure the dam project would not proceed.

“You’ve got Tinaroo at an incredibly low level,” he said.

“You’ve got the canegrowers offering to underwrite the costs of the dam and secure the water.

“And yet the State Government has selectively released parts of that report to make sure they can justify their rejection of it. “It’s an absolute disgrace.” Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said the government was meeting its election commitment to undertake a $4.4 million detailed business case for the dam with funding from the National Water Infrastructure Fund.

“The second and more detailed business case will explore long-term water-supply options to support economic growth for the Mareeba community,” he said.

“Information from MSF Sugar has given us good reason to proceed with this more detailed assessment.”

AND YET THE STATE GOVERNMENT HAS SELECTIVELY RELEASED PARTS OF THAT REPORT TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN JUSTIFY THEIR REJECTION OF IT LEICHHARDT MP WARREN ENTSCH