Greg Roberts
November 25, 2008


THE university at the forefront of the Bligh Government’s campaign to defend the safety of southeast Queensland’s recycled waste-water scheme is receiving millions of dollars in funding from the two companies behind the project.

French water infrastructure giant Veolia and the Queensland government-owned Western Corridor Recycled Water Pty Ltd are funding staff salaries and research programs at the University of Queensland’s Advanced Water Management Centre.

The companies are involved in developing the $2.5 billion western corridor scheme, under which recycled sewage and industrial waste will be pumped into drinking water storages in southeast Queensland from early next year.

Critics of the scheme say a screening process may not be sufficient to block viruses and other contaminants from entering the water supply.

The Government says an expert advisory panel is providing independent advice on the scheme and water quality.

The panel is headed by University of Queensland vice-chancellor Paul Greenfield.

Other members of the panel include Linda Blackall, who until recently was professor of microbiology at the university’s water centre, and Ian Frazer, the university’s Diamantina Institute for Cancer Immunology director.

Queensland Water Commission chairwoman Elizabeth Nosworthy is an adjunct professor at the university.

Veolia Water and Western Corridor Recycled Water are providing $1.7 million of the $2.5million cost of establishing a chair in water recycling at the university. University advertising for the appointment of two post-doctoral fellows and an academic research fellow says the positions are supported by Veolia and Western Corridor.

The two companies are advertised as supporting the university’s water recycling research program. University of Queensland deputy vice-chancellor David Siddle has thanked them for their “foresight in partnering” with the university.

Veolia Water has been advising the Government on the scheme’s installations and infrastructure, and will be operating its treatment plants.

Queenslanders for Safe Water president Merilyn Haines said there was a clear conflict of interest between the university’s role on the expert advisory committee and its receipt of money from project companies.

“Professor Greenfield and his university are supposed to be providing independent advice,” she said. “The university is not in a position to provide independent advice if it has a vested financial interest in the project.”

Professor Blackall said she saw no difficulty with the university providing advice while receiving money from the companies. “I can see how people might think there is a conflict of interest,” said Professor Blackall, who now works at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. “I believe any conflict would be extremely minor, if it existed at all.”

Advanced Water Management Centre director Jurg Keller said: “We have many industry collaborations in a range of different fields and this is one … None of these collaborations would impact in any way on our academic independence.”

Professor Greenfield could not be reached for comment