Will pipeline funding mismatch impact Townsville ratepayers?

RE: Right to Information around the funding time frame for stage 1 of the duplicate route pipeline.

WFTAG has asked in various formal meetings with council about the availability and time frame for state funding for the second pipeline.

In our August 3 minutes, the Mayor stated, “The first stage is already costed, designed and the route decided.”

Domanii Cameron reported August 10, 2017, that “the Mayor wrote to Annastacia Palaszczuk on August 7 asking for the $ 225 million that was committed in the state budget to be fast- tracked.”

A spokesman for the Premier said, “the council will develop and send a project plan and the funds will flow as needed to meet the project milestones.”

On October 30, 2017 the mayor confirmed, “the detailed design for the pipeline will be completed following the industry forum on 15 November, 2017.” As of March 16, 2018, the final design is incomplete.

At no stage has council advised WFTAG the state grant had not been approved for the two- year schedule.

Dr Lynham said, “the State Government was not involved in the plan to complete the project by 2019 and that the council may have to borrow the cash to manage payments.” ( March 16 TB).

In the same article, Matt Thomson, TCC Chief Financial Officer, stated, “If the state did not want to bring forward its funding, the council could manage the mismatch in timing, without borrowing funds, but it was not ideal.”

WFTAG fulfils the Townsville City Deal role as the volunteer Community Partnership for Water Security deliberations. We have, since the deal was signed in December 2016, lobbied all government tiers, political parties, interested candidates and incumbents. WFTAG’s technical team researched 11 infrastructure options and submitted their preferred short and long- term infrastructure proposal to the Water Taskforce chairman.

We are requesting full transparency on behalf of our large membership, in responses to the following questions:

1. Did council formally apply to the state in 2017 to have the four- year funding for stage 1 of the new pipeline fast tracked for a two- year time frame?

2. Did council receive written confirmation from the state that the request had been received and approved?

3. Was council aware of the state’s position, as per Dr Anthony Lynham’s statement published in the Townsville Bulletin yesterday, that the $ 225 million grant was still over a four- year budget time frame?

4. Will council guarantee in writing that the first stage of the new pipeline will be operational by December 2019, as promised?

5. Will council guarantee in writing that no ratepayer money will be used for any subsequent loan interest that council might apply for to be able to deliver the project within the promised time frame?

We look forward to your response. DR LINDA ASHTON,

Convenor WFTAG.