Roy Harbour, Pomona.

 
If ever a demonstration was needed of the du­plicity and downright deceitfulness of the Beattie Government and its band of “resume ­building” (thank you Mr McMah) public ser­vants, it comes in the document lodged by Queensland Water Infrastructure Pty Ltd seeking Canberra’s approval under the Envi­ronment Protection and Biodiversity Conser­vation Act for the proposed Traveston Cross­ing dam.

Section 2.6 of the application deals with the requirement that “if you are considering mak­ing a referral of a stage or component of a larg­er action, you must provide information about the larger action and details of any interde­pendency between the stages/components and the larger action…”

Applicants are reminded that Section 74A of the EPBC Act provides that the Federal Envi­ronment Minister may not accept a referred action that is a component of a larger action.

QWIPL falsely states that “it is proposed to seek full approval for Stage 1 of the Traveston Crossing Dam and to notify the long term in­tention to develop Stage 2.

At this stage, it is not considered prudent to seek full approval for Stage 2 as the current planning horizon does not envisage construc­tion for another 28 years…”

This is contrary to statements made by the Premier, his deputy and government officers.

There has never been any question (well not since April when Peter Beattie hit upon this dumb dam idea) that the dam, if approved, will be built to its full height by 2011, but spillway gates will initially be set to hold the water at the 71m mark. Later the gates will be closed in the hope that water may build up to 79.5m.

The idea that there is a Stage 1 which can be considered separately from Stage 2 is a fallacy which appears to be aimed at gaining Federal Government approval for a project which, if I considered in toto, would be seen as totally un-acceptable.

QWIPL is already offering to buy up land that would be affected by this so-called “Stage 2”.

We are asked to trust Mr Beattie not to close the spillway during his political lifetime and ensure the same pledge by his heirs and suc­cessors — over the next 28 years!

The QWIPL document says “a pipeline and associated pumping infrastructure is planned to link the water storage to water treatment infrastructure serving Brisbane. Detailed planning for the pipeline has not yet been de­veloped.”

This would better be expressed as “we have no idea yet how the water will be got to Bris­bane, let alone how this aspect of the project — its only justification — will be paid for.”

I am just one of thousands who have lost confidence in the honesty, integrity and tran­sparency of Queensland Government process­es as demonstrated in the handling of the Traveston Crossing dam proposal by Mr Beat­tie, Ms Bligh and their technical and PR staff.

I reckon Canberra will see them in the same light.