Government honours water review pledge to boost agriculture

The Newman Government will bring forward a review of the Gulf Water Resource Plan from 2018 to fast-track agricultural development opportunities for Northern Queensland.

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Andrew Cripps said the review of the Gulf Water Resource Plan would commence  immediately and be completed by the end of 2014.

“I gave a commitment that if research from the CSIRO showed more water could be allocated responsibly in the Flinders and Gilbert River catchments, I would bring forward a review of the Gulf Water Resource Plan,” Mr Cripps said.

“The CSIRO report suggested additional water resources could be sustainably allocated for irrigated agriculture, so I am delivering on that commitment.

“The early review of the Gulf Water Resource Plan will determine how much more we can release, while protecting existing entitlement holders, local communities, the environment and commercial fisheries.

“The Newman Government is committed to the development of an expanded irrigated agricultural industry in North Queensland and supporting agriculture as a pillar of the Queensland economy.

“This was demonstrated last year with the release of 95,000 megalitres of unallocated water from the Flinders and Gilbert river catchments following a successful competitive tender process.

“There was a strong appetite from local landholders to have this water for irrigated agriculture and the release of water entitlements in both catchments has the potential to create jobs in local communities and grow the economy in North and North West Queensland.

“The previous Labor government never acted this decisively to support opportunities for economic development in irrigated agriculture in North Queensland.

“The Newman Government has also delivered reforms to the unnecessarily restrictive vegetation management framework in order to facilitate new cropping opportunities.” 

Mr Cripps said the review process needed to be robust and is supported by sound science.

“We need to ensure we can meet emerging water needs and continue to manage our water resources responsibly to deliver positive economic and environmental outcomes for North Queensland.” 

Further information about the Gulf Water Resources Plan is available on the Department of Natural Resources and Mines website - http://www.dnrm.qld.gov.au/water/catchments-planning/catchments/gulf

[ENDS] 13 February 2014

Media contact: Kate Haddan 0418 373 516