Power, water top list
SPECIAL EDITION WEDNESDAY WITH ONLINE COVERAGE TOMORROW NIGHT
TOWNSVILLE political and business leaders have revealed their wish list for tomorrow’s Federal Budget, with water security and energy solutions the priorities.
Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said water security was on top of the council’s wish list.
“The priority is water security and the long overdue need for government investment in infrastructure,” Cr Hill said.
“The City Deal was set up with the Federal Government to include the Water Taskforce and an investigation into the best options for our water security. We want to see that the Government is fair dinkum with a funding commitment.”
Cr Hill said the city also needed funding for innovation and new industry to support new jobs and investment to back up all the talk of developing Northern Australia.
“A good start would be budget support for establishing a special economic zone, something we put forward in our North Australia submission,” she said. “Power generation is obviously another critical issue holding back the North and it’s important the Government shows it’s serious about doing something with funding in the budget.”
Cr Hill said she would also like to see a commitment to move more public servants into the regions.
The Minister Assisting the Premier on North Queensland Coralee O’Rourke said she wanted to see the Federal Government match federal Labor’s commitment for a hydropower station in the North, and fund- ing for outcomes of the Water Security Taskforce.
“At the moment they are a signatory to the City Deal, but we have no guarantees that they will fund any option that taskforce recommends,” she said. “I also want to see funding for a gas pipeline and more exploration of the Bowen and Galilee Basins as well as more funding for health and education.”
Townsville Chamber of Commerce president Troy Popham said water security and energy solutions were critical.
“We can’t grow if we don’t have water security and energy solutions,” he said. “Nothing else is as important.”
Townsville Enterprise chairman Kevin Gill said water security and sustainable energy pricing were top priorities.
In a budget submission, Mr Gill said for a region abundant with natural resources it was unacceptable to live with the unsustainable costs of accessing the basic necessities of water and energy.
Townsville MP Scott Stewart said his budget wish list included a strong commitment to water infrastructure, hydropower and a gas pipeline.
“What we need to see is the Federal Government commit to the water solution releasing the NAIF ( Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility) funds to go towards the pipeline, raising the dam wall and hydro- electric power for the Burdekin Dam,” he said. “I’d also like to see more development of the gas pipeline. Our gas reserves are starting to diminish and hence the cost of power is going up because of that.”