HOPPER ADMITS IN PARLIAMENT HE GOT KOLAN WATER RELEASE INFORMATION WRONG

Opposition Water spokesman Ray Hopper today admitted in the Queensland Parliament that he got his figures wrong when he criticised the State Government for releasing water for environmental purposes from the Fred Haigh Dam, near Bundaberg.

Water Minister Craig Wallace said Mr Hopper claimed on April 2 that 20,000 megalitres was being released from the dam to guarantee the health of the Kolan River.

In fact, the environmental release is 10,000 megalitres - and the other 10,000 megalitres is being provided to irrigators.

“I am pleased Mr Hopper corrected the record when asking a question in Parliament today,” Mr Wallace said.

However, Mr Hopper still has not corrected his April 2 claim that 19% of the water in Fred Haigh Dam is being released.

“The correct figure is 5%,” Mr Wallace said.

The Department of Natural Resources is currently releasing environmental water flows down the Kolan River under water-management rules contained in the Burnett Resources Operation Plan – which was supported by Bundaberg irrigators.

Mr Wallace said Mr Hopper had managed to offend both local irrigators and the local fishing industry when he first criticised the release of the environmental water flows.

Irrigators would have been upset by Mr Hopper calling the release of the 20,000 megalitres a “waste” when 10,000 megalitres was going to them.

The local fishing industry strongly supported the release of the remaining 10,000ML for the environment – since these flows are vital for breeding to occur in local fisheries.

Water from the Kolan River goes to the Kolan River Declared Fish Habitat Area.

“Unfortunately Mr Hopper does not realise that many people have an interest in water and good water planning has to include everyone,” Mr Wallace said.

A copy of Mr Hopper’s April 2 media release follows this page.

Media inquiries: Paul Childs, Craig Wallace’s office, on 0407 131 654.

Wednesday, 2 April 2008

It was ironic Water Minister Craig Wallace chose April 1 to announce his decision to waste 20,000 megalitres of precious Kolan River water, the State Opposition said today.
Â
Opposition Water spokesman Ray Hopper said only an ‘April Fool’ would waste 20,000 megalitres of precious water on the pretence of maintaining river flows.
Â
“The Minister’s announcement, on today of all days, has angered most locals and not just farmers,” Mr Hopper said.
Â
“Mr Wallace is using his flawed environmental flow rules to release water even though recent rains have seen more than ten times that as free-flow down the Kolan.”
Â
Mr Hopper said the Minister was taking very poor advice on the issue and clearly needed a large dose of commonsense.
Â
“No one is arguing that free flows or environmental flows aren’t needed for the health of our rivers, but we need to keep water in store for the next drought and recent rains have given the Kolan plenty of free flow.”
Â
Mr Hopper backed calls from Local Member for Burnett Rob Messenger for the Minister to immediately stop his plan to release the 20,000 megalitres.
Â
“Rob Messenger and everyone else who knows the river is right, recent rainfall has already more than met and exceeded what’s needed with flows over the Bucca Weir exceeding 150,000 megalitres and Kolan Barrage reaching almost 200,000 megalitres.”
Â
Mr Hopper said there would be no arguments with the Minister’s plan if the dams were at or near capacity, but with Fred Haig Dam at just 37%, Mr Wallace’s plan would drop the dam to just 30% - resulting in roundly 19% of the dam’s current capacity being lost in April.
Â
“Where’s the sense in that. Everyone else is implored to conserve water and here we have the Minister doing the exact opposite, releasing the equivalent of three years’ supply for the City of Bundaberg.”