SIMPSON SCAREMONGERING ON WATER

Sunshine Coast residents should be very wary of the Opposition’s Fiona Simpson and her campaign of blatant misinformation on water security.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure, Paul Lucas, said Fiona Simpson is attempting to scare the Sunshine Coast into believing its water supply will be sucked dry by Brisbane.

“Nothing could be further from the truth – Fiona Simpson is scare mongering.

“The amount of water the Northern Pipeline Interconnector will deliver to the rest of South East Queensland is sustainable.

“At the present time the Sunshine Coast has a water surplus, this is about sharing a precious resource to help the entire region beat the worst drought on record.

“The Northern Interconnector pipeline will link the Sunshine Coast to the water grid and in turn provide real water security for its 276,000 residents.

“With our weather becoming increasingly unpredictable the Sunshine Coast might one day be calling on Brisbane or the Gold Coast for additional water.

The grid will make sure that’s possible.

“What would the Sunshine Coast with its current surplus of water but no local power generation say, if under Ms Simpson’s logic, the water poor but electricity rich City of Ipswich decided to switch off their lights?”

Mr Lucas said additional capacity is being added into the Sunshine Coast system with a new water treatment plant under construction at Ewen Maddock Dam.

“This would deliver enough water for the equivalent of more than 140,000 residents in Maroochy and Caloundra every day.

“Ms Simpson’s claims of no consultation on the route of the Northern Pipeline Interconnector, once again, don’t stack up.

“There are no secret maps, there are certainly no bully boy tactics and where possible the pipeline is following existing easements.

“We’re getting on with the job of building drought proofing infrastructure for South East Queensland.

“The only person using bully boy tactics is Fiona Simpson. She’s attempting to strong-arm the Sunshine Coast into accepting her insular views on regional water security,” Mr Lucas said.

Media contact: Darren Roberts 0448 184566