The Nimbin Times (pdf)

Aug 2007 

Opposition leader Kevin Rudd travelled to Tyalgum in late July and spoke with some 200 residents about Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s proposal to dam the northern rivers.

He was accompanied by Member for Richmond Justine Elliott and Shadow Minister for Water, Anthony Albanese, who all stated their opposition to the dams.

Speaking outside the general store, Mr Rudd congratulated the northern rivers community for their concerted campaign to oppose the proposal, and in particular, Peter Bennett the members of the Save the Caldera Rivers Campaign committee.

Mr Rudd described the SMEC report into four new dams to pump water to Queensland as being full of assumptions and generalisations.

“There’s no site visits, no costings, it looks to me as though it’s been done on Mr Turnbull’s kitchen table.”

Mr Albanese said that various solutions to Queensland’s water shortage were already underway, including the largest project for greywater recycling in the southern hemisphere, a desalination plant at Tugun, and better water efficiencies.

“We will not support a dam at Tyalgum, it’s that simple.” said Mr Rudd, which earned him rousing cheers.

After the speeches, the party adjourned for a cup of tea nearby, but the topic of conversation remained the same, as it will unil the election.