Premier Beattie's "independent" review of Toowoomba water options ...

Read the full report here - DNRM&W - Toowoomba options.

One point blows this report out of the water.

It took less than five minutes (quicker on broadband!).

The review assumes that the Toowoomba City Council's cost estimate for the Water Futures project ($68 million) is correct. (It then adds 10% for cost increases since 2005).

Ignore the fact that construction costs have risen substantially since Council arrived at its ball park estimate (and will rise further before the project could ever be implemented).

Ignore the fact that the report assumes Acland Coal will take the RO waste stream - something Acland Coal has not agreed to do. They now seem rather cool on this idea:

Documents obtained by the Qld Coalition under FOI legislation include an email written by a State Government bureaucrat who says: "there are also some problems with Acland Coal who are apparently a bit cool about their role in taking the waste water". (See - Lyle's blog)

Ignore the fact that the failure of Acland Coal to take the RO waste stream doubles the project cost.

Ignore the fact that, in the now rather unlikely event that Acland Coal did take the RO waste stream, it is unlikely they would contribute $4 million to the pipeline cost or agree to pay Toowoomba City Council for taking the waste (Acland Coal has the upper hand in any negotiations).

Ignore the fact that the Qld Coalition is not proposing a swap of irrigator water for recycled water.

The one point?

Simple - the failure of Premier Beattie's consultants to assess the cost of the Water Futures project.

How can Premier Beattie offer an independent comparison of Mayor Thorley's Water Futures project and a number of other water options when there is simply no review of the Water Futures costs.

It isn't a review.

Sorry Mr Premier, we just don't buy it ...