8th June 2009
By Bill Hoffman

The Titanic which is the state government’s water policy has been given a hefty nudge in a new direction at the 2009 Queensland Labor conference and may ultimately spell the end of the hugely unpopular Traveston Crossing Dam proposal.

The ALP unanimously backed a new clause to its water policy that requires it to improve sustainability in water management by the augmentation of potable water supply with the development of innovative urban water catchment technology and implementation where appropriate.

The clause, which was supported by natural resources minister Stephen Robertson, also opens the way for the government’s favourable consideration of a request from Sunshine Coast Council to contribute a third of the $500,000 cost of proving up sustainability costings for the Coolum Ridges stormwater management and beneficial reuse technology which will see the new estate more than 80% self sufficient for potable water.

Sunshine Coast councillor and ALP member Debbie Blumel successfully pushed the clause through the party’s primary industries and natural resources policy committee. She said yesterday that it would turn around the direction of current water policy and its focus on dams, water grids and pipes.

“This is the beginning of a new phase,’’ she said. “The ALP is now committed to devolved, decentralised water supply and its research and development.

“Where we can get projects like Coolum Ridges up we can show what is possible.’’

Ms Blumel said the entire Sunshine Coast was waiting for the technology and it would be critical to new greenfield developments at Palmview and Caloundra South.

Maleny delegates to the convention said capturing and treating storm water was what that community had wanted to augment the town’s water supply rather than water piped from the Baroon Pocket treatment plant.

Ms Blumel said the Traveston Crossing Dam was still in the environmental impact statement (EIS) process with the federal government likely to have the final say.

She said the policy switch would put another technology on the table that wasn’t available when then premier Peter Beattie came up with the water grid and the Traveston dam plan.

“Given time to prove up the technology we can reduce the need for more environmentally damaging technology like dams and pipelines,’’ Ms Blumel said.