Qld's 2008/9 Budget - Wivenhoe-Toowoomba pipeline funding buried ...
Funding for the Wivenhoe-Cressbrook pipeline ($168 million) is supposed to come from the budgeted funding for the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project.
But one would think that the proposed pipeline would be important enough to rate a specific mention in the Budget.
Somewhere.
Apparently not.
One would expect to see something in the Capital Measures (Budget Paper 3).
But no - there's no specific mention of the State government providing any funding towards the cost of building the pipeline during 2008/9 or in any future year.
It's not in the Agency Budget Highlights for the Department of Natural Resources and Water.
Nor is it in the Agency Budget Highlights for the Department of Infrastructure and Planning.
It's not even in the Regional Budget Statement where the government highlights what it is doing for the region - although the Darling Downs and West Moreton region gets $5.9 million for an emergency bore at Toowoomba and $700,000 for a wastewater treatment plant at Wyreema.
You'd think it would at least rate a mention there.
As the Qld government says: "Water management is a critical issue for Queensland and the government is making historic levels of investment in essential water and sewerage infrastructure to meet the needs of Queensland communities."
But no - the pipeline is apparently not important enough to rate a mention anywhere.
It doesn't even rate a mention on the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project website and the funding is supposed to be coming from this project.
Seems like it's a secret project.
Does the allocation of funding from a different project mean that the pipeline can be cancelled without the government admitting so - 'it wasn't in the Budget therefore nothing was cancelled'.
Is the government really taking a serious look at CSG water for Toowoomba?
Has Anna Bligh realised that, even if the Wivenhoe-Cressbrook pipeline is built, there'd be little to pipe through it?
All may soon become apparent ...
posted by Concerned Ratepayer at 8:12 AM
8 Comments:
Win TV apparently knows all about it even if it not in the Budget.
1:22 PM, June 05, 2008
There's nothing to say that funding isn't coming from the WCRW project.
It's just odd that there seems to be no mention of the pipeline anywhere in the Budget. A $168 million line item would normally rate a mention - even if it's in the regional section to let everyone know how much money is being spent on the region (so they can remind everyone again at election time).
The WCRW project has not included the pipeline in the past. This project relates to the recycled water plants and associated pipelines - approx. 200 km of pipeline. It hasn't included the pipeline to Cressbrook in the past and there's no mention of it on the WCRW project website.
2:01 PM, June 05, 2008
Not everything is a conspiracy
2:23 PM, June 05, 2008
All Brisbane seems to be concerned with is when they can turn the hose on again and water the garden and wash the car.
The media in Brisbane aren't at all concerned about us people up on the range. We are foreigners!
2:27 PM, June 05, 2008
It's hiden in there in with infrastructure report (1-96)(1-7B) and it is listed as a propossed expenditure for 08/09.
If it is only proposed , it would be easy to change their minds and deliver coal seam water instead.
8:15 PM, June 05, 2008
Proposed projects - $0.17 billion (Note 24)
Note 24 - Estimated actual for 2007-08 and estimated targets for 2008-09 represents the proposed Toowoomba Pipeline project.
9:00 PM, June 05, 2008
If the government was serious about the pipeline, it would also be included in the Regional Budget Statement.
9:01 PM, June 05, 2008
No mention in Lucas press release:
Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Paul Lucas
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
$2.22 BILLION FOR WATER GRID
More than $2.22 billion – or an average of $42 million a week – is earmarked in the State Budget for the South East Queensland Water Grid.
The Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Paul Lucas said the allocation compared to $3.8 billion in the 2007-08 financial year.
“The finish line is now in sight for major projects on the $9 billion Water Grid, with close to 70 per cent of the 450 kilometres of pipe now in the ground,” said Mr Lucas.
“Not only will the Water Grid help us through our worst drought on record, it will put South East Queensland on the front foot to deal with population growth and climate change into the future.”
Mr Lucas said $795 million had been allocated this financial year for the completion of the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project.
“Later this month the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project is scheduled to pump its first water to Tarong Energy,” said Mr Lucas.
“This will mark another significant milestone for the biggest scheme of this type in the Southern Hemisphere, which remains on track for completion by the end of the year.”
Mr Lucas said other projects on track for completion this year include the $1.2 billion Gold Coast Desalination Project at Tugun.
“Some $448 million is projected to be spent on this project in 2008-09,” said Mr Lucas.
“The desalination plant is on track to deliver its full 125 ML a day by January 2009 as scheduled.
“It will be linked into the Water Grid by the $901 million, 100 kilometre Southern Regional Water Pipeline which has a budget allocation of $217.35 million.”
Other project spending includes:
$219.7 million for the Northern Pipeline Interconnectors.
$16.69 million for the Easter Pipeline Interconnector.
More than $531 million for the proposed Traveston Crossing and Wyaralong Dams, subject to approvals.
9:24 PM, June 05, 2008
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