Representation on focus group recognises agenda, research
AFTER only five months of apolitical activism and meetings with many politicians, from all levels of government and Mayor Jenny Hill, a Water For Townsville Action Group representative, Allan Lane, was invited to represent our group on one of the City Deal Water Taskforce focus groups.
The credibility of our agenda and research subsequently led to direct input into the taskforce infrastructure deliberations.
Our technical team detailed and rated 11 types of water storage and transport systems with the preferred options highlighted in our extensive report submitted to Brad Webb, chairman of the Water Taskforce. The ratings considered suitability, use of some existing grid power sources plus renewables, viability, durability, sustainability, longevity and affordability.
The 11 types covered short, medium and long- term requirements for 80- plus years.
We also put forward six recommendations to the City Deal federal body about our volunteer, unfunded, community partnership experience, as Townsville was the first city to be awarded the new 2016 intergovernmental policy.
WFTAG recommends that the Water Taskforce:
1. Advocates on behalf of every Townsville resident, that water security must be the city’s top priority for City Deal. While other competing local ventures might be more popular, none can flourish without a plentiful, reliable water supply.
2. Holds City Deal to the promise of extended inter- governmental co- operation to improve Townsville’s environment, livability, green urban spaces, prosperity and community wellbeing, through provision of long overdue high quality water infrastructure.
3. Ensures that WFTAG’s water infrastructure proposals feature in their report to the State and Federal representa- tives, to inform City Deal’s ongoing discussions about Townsville’s top priority – water.
4. Emphasises the serious implications for the growing city where livelihoods and quality of life for many people are already drastically impacted by the ongoing water shortage. Without bipartisan government leadership and action, what is currently a very serious situation could potentially become catastrophic if there are further predicted low rainfall totals.
5. Successfully lobby for funding commitments from each of the 2017 government budgets with each committing funding for the best possible infrastructure options for Townsville – ( urgent short, medium and long- term supply that negate harsher than current Townsville City Council level 2 water restrictions in future.
6. Formally acknowledges WFTAG’s thorough community- driven research in their reporting process and passes our model on to city deal so future recipients are aware of and perhaps learn from and build upon this approach.