Rev the Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes AC MLC, an Independent Member of the Legislative Council, has questioned the NSW Government’s plans to build Tillegra Dam after an independent analysis into water supplies to the Hunter Valley has found that there is a one-in-a-million chance of current water supplies being low enough to justify building a proposed dam.
The Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) in the University of Technology Sydney released “An Independent Review of the Need for Tillegra Dam” Report which found the NSW Government prevented IPART, the independent economic regulator for NSW, from examining whether the proposed dam was needed or not.
The findings of the report show that the region can satisfy its own water supply needs for the next 40 years as a result of the construction of a new pipeline from Mardi to Mangrove. Also, the most recent regional climate change modelling by the University of Newcastle has found no significant change in rainfall or runoff in the Hunter in their forecasts to 2080.
Since the early 1980s, there have been no water restrictions imposed on consumers in the Lower Hunter. The Institute for Sustainable Futures report found that water consumption in the Lower Hunter in 2007/08 was the lowest recorded for 40 years.
Rev the Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes said, “The contents of the report shows further evidence that Lower Hunter is far from an emergency situation with regards to either long term water supply or drought security. This is a clear signal to the NSW Government to revoke its plans to build Tillegra Dam. This is an opportunity for the NSW Government to genuinely consult and involve the community and stakeholders on urban water strategy in the Lower Hunter.”
Dr Moyes commented, “The announcement of Tillegra Dam was not based on water resource planning but for political reasons. The NSW Government wishes to secure electorate votes both in the Central Coast and Hunter region.” The NSW Government announced its intention to build the project on November 13, 2006 five days after former NSW Aboriginal Affairs minister Milton Orkopoulos was charged with 30 child sex and drugs offences.
Furthermore, IPART estimated that for an average quarterly bill there will be an increase of approximately $30. Hunter Water Corporation has announced on its website that new costs take effect as of July 2009. In January 2009, the Newcastle Herald reported that approximately 13,000 Hunter Water ratepayers are on payment plans. This staggering figure reflects the financial hardship experienced by families and pensioners in the region.
Dr Moyes concluded, “With the connection of the Central Coast’s two main dams by a large pipeline coupled by the rational reasoning outlined by the ISF Report, there is no need for the construction of Tillegra Dam.”
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Dr Moyes questions the justification for Tillegra Dam
Monday, 24 August 2009, 9:31 (EST)
Have your say on this article
Added: Monday, 24 August 2009, 10:09 (EST)
I wish our senior politicians such as Dr. Moyes and others that wish to become involved with the Tillegra Dam debate would actually avail themselves of all the infromation and travel to Dungog Shire and speak to those families that are being displaced by the dam proposal (all the Families) and the greater community that will be affected if the dam proceeds. The Environmental assessment has not even been placed on Exhibition but a great deal is being stated.
There is far more information available than is being presented in the editorial and I would urge people such as Dr. Moye's if you want to be involved, please travel to Dungog and speak to those most affected. Glenn Wall Mayor Dungog Shire CouncilGlenn Wall, East Gresford Australia
Added: Friday, 11 September 2009, 12:58 (EST)
The difficulty is that there are far too many individuals who have a vested interest in the Tillegra Dam proceeding for the proposal to simply "go away". Some faceless public servants will have tied their inglorious careers to the objective of having a dam at Tillegra. They will fight for it even should it be proven conclusively to be unnecessary or even geologically unstable, because it is in their self-interest to see the proposal progress. One would think that with the deficit the NSW Government is running that it would have better things to do than to pour millions of dollars down the drain (figuratively). Public hospitals are in deplorable condition; schools have terrible staff/student ratios and facilities, yet this dam remains a "critical" infrastructure despite having been proven not to be required. Sir Humphrey would be proud – the public servants behind this effort have indeed become part of "A Moral Vacuum".
gillian , canberra
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