Vows to address water security

BOTH the state and federal Labor governments have vowed to support a crucial Cairns water security proposal if it “stacks up”, as Mayor Bob Manning doubled down on his frustration at the red tape hindering its progress.

Queensland Minister for Water Glenn Butcher said his government was still waiting on a “detailed business case” from the Cairns Regional Council outlining their $215m Cairns Water Security Project – a claim Cr Manning slammed as a “bureaucratic rabbit hole”.

Cr Manning said that his council “was (like) a child who is starting to lose faith in their parents” after “getting the runaround” from both the state and federal governments.

“For a project this critical – remember we’re talking about drinking water here, a basic human right, not a discretionary luxury – surely it’s time to put the politics to one side and for the state and federal government to come together and say Cairns has a need?” he said.

Minister Butcher said the Far North council should be asking the federal Liberal government why they were making commitments to water projects in other parts of the state but not for Cairns, despite “outstanding business cases and approvals” such as the $4.5bn Hells Gates Dam proposal.

“Cairns Regional Council is currently preparing a detailed business case and I have always said that we will be happy to look at it once it’s complete,” he said. “(That includes) considering what level of financial assistance may be appropriate, to assist the council in fulfilling its obligations in relation to provision of urban water supply for Cairns.”

Labor Shadow Environment and Water Minister Terri Butler, in response to a call from Cr Manning to state federal Labor’s position on Cairns’ water security ahead of the election, said it was “open to water infrastructure projects that stack up”.

She also slammed federal Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch for his claims that the Palaszczuk government had let the Cairns urban water supply crisis reach boiling point “by ignoring it for 14 years”.

“Warren Entsch’s attempt to blame the state government is taken right out of the playbook of Scott Morrison, and distracts from the fact he hasn’t been able to deliver for Cairns and the region for the better part of two decades,” Ms Butler said.

“The Morrison-Joyce government haven’t considered water security across Australia. They have had a decade to do this and they have failed.”

Labor candidate for Leichhardt Elida Faith also had a swing at the PM’s trip to Cairns.

“Scott Morrison came to town and said nothing about water security. Any project that stacks up, I’ll be fighting for.”