By Carolyn Tucker
30/8/2006 

ALLEGATIONS have surfaced that police are involved in the government’s efforts to conceal information that could undermine its plans to build the Traveston dam.

Last week it was alleged the government had orderded the shredding of a report on the lungfish produced by the Department of Primary Industries, a claim the Premier has denied.

Yesterday, Federal Member for Fairfax Alex Somlyay said he had been told police had visited the homes of several individuals to seize copies of the report.

Mr Somlyay said he had no idea whether the claims were true but he urged anyone who had been involved or who had further information to get in touch.

I would appeal to anybody who has been visited by police to contact me directly,¨ he said.

Copies of several scientific reports prepared by the Department of Primary Industries were delivered to Mr Somlyay’s office on Monday and he was vowed to table them in parliament next week.

Mr Somlyay said he would also forward the reports to federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell for scrutiny under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

A report on the ecology and demography of the lungfish in the Burnett River in 2002 suggests that dams are unsuitable breeding grounds for lungfish and there has already been a substantial decrease in their spawning habitat.

There is strong evidence that the creation of lacustrine habitat by the construction of weirs and dams leads to a net loss of suitable lungfish spawning habitat. There was little evidence to indicate that successful spawning occurs on a regular basis in impounded sections of the river, and good evidence to suggest that it does not,¨ it states. This and other reports also identify design flaws in existing fishways which posed a potential threat to local fish populations.

He said if the allegations of shredding and police involvement were true, the state government has breached federal law.

The destruction of documents, hiding this from the commonwealth would be an offence under the EPBC Act,¨ he said. I have no proof of the claims but I will table the documents in parliament to make sure they are protected.¨

Mr Somlyay rejected any suggestion that this was a stunt designed to damage Labor’s chances at the polls. This is certainly not a stunt by me during the selection campaign,¨ he said. “It began with an inquiry from the ABC, I haven’t solicited this material.¨

Meanwhile the federal government has left open the possibility of blocking the Traveston dam if the area is found to have special significance to the traditional owners.

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