Troubling undercurrents
NOW that Ross Dam is at 95 per cent it has about 3 ½ years’ supply, under current level 2 restrictions, with minimal rainfall. Along with the welcome wet season, however, there are disturbing political undercurrents.
We are still awaiting follow up teleconferences with ministers to restate our case for a federal grant. In a phone call facilitated by MP George Christensen, Minister for Regional Development John McVeigh was very receptive to our cause but the May 8 budget date is edging closer.
On March 26 we received a response from Senator Matt Canavan, to a letter about WFTAG’s research, our City Deal involvement, collaboration with the Water Security Taskforce and agenda to lobby for federal funding for Townsville’s water security. He informed us Townsville had been awarded the first Australian City Deal; that a Water Taskforce had been convened and the Federal Government was awaiting the final report in September. Nine days later, the Federal Government confirmed it would contribute $ 176 million to Rookwood Weir, which is in Senator Canavan’s electorate. On the same day, it was reported the Federal Government was reneging on its $ 75 million commitment to widening the Townsville port channel.
On April 3, the first Annual Progress Report for our City Deal’s 15 proposed infrastructure projects was released. The section on Water Security progress was attributed to the Mayor. Of concern is that some key recommendations by the Water Security Taskforce, published nine months earlier, were not endorsed. In particular, it states that chairman Brad Webb had made no recommendations in the Interim Report for longer- term “regional” water- security. In fact, his descriptions for Townsville’s midterm water security were very specific, proposing extension of the stage 1 pipeline to Clare, with additional solar power. The Federal Government’s delaying any decision until the final Water Taskforce report is released in September, ties in conveniently with this unexpected lack of endorsement.
The question is, will the final Water Taskforce have any impact if decisions are being made outside the framework of the City Deal? Two feasibility studies into larger regional projects ( Hell’s Gate and raising the Burdekin Falls Dam wall) are mainly about increasing water supply for agriculture and renewable energy. While WFTAG is not against either of these projects, or future pipelines from them, neither relates specifically to Townsville’s infrastructure proposal.
The lengthy timeframes for design and construction, costs and funding options for both of these projects would require loans and a huge debt for our urban ratepayer base.
Last month, the story erupted in the media about conflicting time frames for the state’s funding to council. This was in part prompted by the earlier start date for construction recommended by the Water Security Taskforce. Originally, the council’s proposal was to begin the duplicate pipeline in 2019. In August 2017, the Mayor advised through the Townsville Bulletin that council’s request for the funding to be released over two years had been approved by the state. Dr Anthony Lynham then confirmed the $ 225 million grant had only ever been a four- year budget allocation.
How does WFTAG propose to work through these politically induced eddies? The following points might help readers see through the sediment:
Council’s timeframe is already tight for stage 1 to be completed by December 2019. Nine months after the Water Taskforce released its recommendations there is no shovelready design or pipes ordered. The state funding can probably be amended in the 2018 budget to accommodate the 2019 completion date, circumventing the likelihood that council would need to borrow money and repay a loan plus interest.
The community must challenge the blurring between Townsville’s specific water security solutions and any subsequent regional focus.
The findings from the two feasibility studies into future water supply for agriculture will be known mid- year giving the Water Security Taskforce and WFTAG time to consider any ramifications in their respective 2018 reports.
WFTAG techs will continue to examine the unproven viability of the Haughton Channel to deliver 364ML per day through the Burdekin Haughton sector for Townsville’s supply. It is clear now that council intends pumping the “dire condition” old pipeline as well as the new one.
Last week WFTAG submitted a proposal to council to fund a field trip in April to the Burdekin- Haughton sector to investigate the channel, the balancing storage area and existing pump station infrastructure. Ross Kapitzke, who designed much of the original Haughton infrastructure 30 years ago, has generously offered engineering expertise for WFTAG’s ongoing research.
The completion dates for the duplicate pipeline and the stadium will no doubt be drawn into pre- election council campaigning, early in 2020.
This coincidence will remain an unfortunate blemish on the Local Government pledge, through the 15year City Deal, that resulting critical infrastructure would no longer be “hijacked” by a partisan shorter- term government as “their” project.
The election date for the Federal Government will be a critical test for the first City Deal and funding expected for the very marginal electorate’s priority projects including long- overdue water security and the port upgrade.
If the political undercurrents mean a 36.5km duplicate route pipeline is all we will get, it would have happened, eventually, without a City Deal or a Water Security Taskforce.
From the community’s perspective, the intergovernmental pledge for tripartisan collaboration, shared funding, community partnership, transparency and improved process isn’t stacking up very well.