OwSRLI
PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA THURSDAY 26 JUNE 1980
THE* BURDEKIN DAM PROJECT
The Prime Minister, Mr. Malcolm Fraser, announced today that
the Commonwealth Government had decided in principle to assist
the Queensland Government in the construction of the Burdekin
Dam. The project involves the conservation of waters of the Burdekin
River and their use for irrigation of suitable lands adjacent
to the present Burdekin River Irrigation Area for sugar, rice
and horticultural and field crop production. When complete it
will provide for the irrigation of an additional 45,125 hectares
annually and will lead to the creation of about 660 new farms
to be served from the scheme.
This project, which will involve public expenditure estimated at
$ 155 million ( 1977 prices) has important financial implications.
The Prime Minister has therefore suggested to Mr. Bjelke-Petersen
that Commonwealth and State officials should participate in early
consultations in relation to possible methods of financing the
project. These consultations would give particular attention to
the contribution proposed to be made by the Commonwealth and
Queensland Governments to the project's funding. They will also
examine the possibility of funding some parts of the project's
cost through the special infrastructure borrowing arrangements
of the Loan Council; and assess the possible contribution of
the National Water Resources Program to the proposal.
The Prime Minister recalled that proposals to rdevelop the-Burdekin
had been advance for many years. Mr. Fraser went on to say that
the Commonwealth Government had already given careful and
detailed consideration to the proposed project. It was assisted
in this task by a joint Commonwealth and Queensland Report on
" the Resources and Potential of the Burdekin River Basin, Queenslaftd".
This report identified the options * for development of the Burdekin
Basin and indicated that the principal physical constraint on
development is the availability of water supplies. It concluded
that further water supplies will be necessary if continued growth
for agriculture and other purposes is not to be retarded.
Mr. Fraser went on to say that the environmental considerations
associated with the proposal had not been overlooked. With the
agreement of -Mr. Bjelke-Petersen, an ecology study of the Burdekin
was at present in progress and a report was expected to be .2
2
submitted both to the Commonwealth and Queensland Governments
by the end of August. The results of that report will be
studied carefully by both governments to ensure that the impact
of the proposal on the environment is monitored carefully.
Mr. Fraser concluded by indicating that the proposed Burdekin
project was well placed to provide an additional stimulus to
the substantial resource and other development which was centred
on Townsville and the surrounding region.
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