Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has announced the Federal Government will contribute $600 million to restore Paradise Dam to its full capacity, securing the Bundaberg region’s water future.
This follows the Premier's announcement on Tuesday the State Government will fund half of the $1.2 billion project.
Mr Joyce said uncertainty over the dam's future had hurt local producers, caused job losses and reduced investment in the region.
“Returning the dam to its full 300,000-megalitre capacity will give farmers, businesses and households confidence they will have access to the water they need in the decades ahead,” he said.
“Farmers in the region have spent the last two years in limbo, worrying if they’ll have the water they need to support and grow their businesses into the future.”
Mr Joyce said the investment would help provide the water security the region needs while supporting 250 construction jobs and unlocking new and expanded opportunities for farmers and businesses.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk welcomed the announcement.
“I absolutely thank the Federal Government,” she said.
“On Tuesday, I was up in Bundaberg announcing $600 million for the Paradise Dam and we heard overnight that the federal government is going to match our $600 million.
“That's now $1.2 billion. We can get on, fix that dam, build it up and that has water security and safety for that region for many generations to come.
“I just want to acknowledge that funding. And it's great to see within a week, $1.2 billion.”
Member for Hinkler and Federal Water Minister, Keith Pitt, said the works are crucial to boost jobs and economic opportunities.
“While I am pleased that we are able to deliver the money that’s necessary, it breaks my heart to think that this funding could have gone to a new Level 5 hospital for Bundaberg or to an upgrade of the Maryborough-Bundaberg section of the Bruce Highway,” he said.
State pledges $600m for Paradise Dam rebuild
TUESDAY 8 FEBRUARY: Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk took to her Facebook page this morning to announce State Government funding of $600 million.
“Paradise Dam, on the beautiful Burnett River 80km south-west of Bundaberg, will hold a whopping 300,000 megalitres of water when restored to full capacity,” she said.
“The rebuild would be a gamechanger for the people of Bundaberg and the Wide Bay, providing water security and safety for communities downstream.”
Ms Palaszczuk the initial phase of the Dam’s rebuild will deliver 250 construction jobs and provide significant flow-on benefits for local businesses and contractors, making it an important initiative in the economic recovery of the Wide Bay region.
Bundaberg Region Mayor Jack Dempsey said it was good news for the community and Australia.
“I welcome the commitment of Government funding for this important project,” he said.
“Rebuilding Paradise Dam is not only essential for the Bundaberg Region, it’s vitally important for Australia’s food security.
“We live in one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world, with an ideal growing climate and highly skilled producers.
“The dam wall had to be fixed for safety reasons. It now needs to be repaired as quickly as possible.”
Bundaberg MP Tom Smith said the funding commitment would ensure growers had the confidence to continue to invest into an industry that invests in the region.
“This is an announcement to make sure our community is safe; our water security is there for the future and that the agriculture and horticulture industries will continue to create jobs in the Bundaberg Region,” he said.
How about making it correctly in the first place?
Commissioned under a Labor premier (Beattie)
Opened under a Labor premier (Bligh)
Repaired under a Labor premier (Palaszczuk)
As this is Capital works & every stage has to be inspected to see if works meet the standards required, I’m gobsmacked that it got to this stage… She be right mate, the taxpayers give a Never ending supply of funds, whichever party holds sway… That’s the criminal part of all this… Whomever commissioned & built should pay… All levels of government don’t really give a damn about their constituents, so long as they receive revenue…
Who knocked the wall down to 42% ?
Then expect someone else to help fix it !!!
Work could begin in 23, maybe December 23.
2 years away and without Australian taxpayers, maybe never.
The dam wall should have been repaired or replaced yesterday.
The original capacity of the dam could have been filled 3 times recently. And it all went to the ocean.
The region is growing rapidly and needs water security urgently, and there’s no time to waste.
While your at it put in a hydro electric plant & use Titanium. Why make it the same size? It’s proved inadequate in more recent times even before the knock down the region is growing & will continue to grow.
Some of our dam & other water storage levels went up last month considerably but previously many were much lower & that was helped with out flows from Paradise due the interim supply.
At such a cost you may even think it would be more prudent to keep Paradise at the interim level permanently level & build a new bigger DAM in a different location. If we continue along the lines of having to prepare for “Big Australia” Bundaberg alone could be 300k+ population by 2050 then there’s other growth to consider as DAMs don’t just service 1 town. Even Big Australia numbers might be inadequate as we have seen a clear uptick in population growth sense then.
Why isn’t Sunwater paying?
Game changer? why should the Feds cough up for the dam to be repaired?
The Qld Labor party built the thing without any checks & balances & then they knocked it down to 50% capacity because it was deemed unsafe, & now they want to raise it again but with Federal funding?!
The Labor Party should pay for it & Anna should keep her blarney to herself without insulting the hardworking people of Bundaberg & those who have invested millions of dollars of infrastructure into the surrounding farmland. They all paid for the dam & now they will be expected to pay for it again & then again, when the price of the water doubles to pay for the renovations.