A critical meeting resurrected the Emu Swamp Dam project and revealed other major political hurdles last week. Mayor Melissa Hamilton, the Member for Southern Downs James Lister MP, and Councillors Harslett, Wantling and Deane met with the Hon Ann Leahy MP, Minister for Local Government and Water to discuss the region’s water security and the Australian government’s recently announced changes to the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Two major updates came from the meeting: the official come-back of the Emu Swamp Dam project and MP Lister’s disapproval of aspects of the SDRC’s planning scheme.
“The meeting was called by the Minister to advise the SDRC that the Crisafulli government has resurrected work on the Emu Swamp Dam project, and I strongly support this commitment to addressing our water security challenges. We must prevent Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt from again completely running out of water, and I want to give back to Warwick the water which Warwick currently has to keep in reserve for Stanthorpe,” Mr Lister told the Town & Country Journal.
Mayor Hamilton, who, before running for political office, was a vocal opponent of the dam, will provide her view of this development in the next edition.
Meanwhile, the SDRC is still waiting for the planning scheme to get the state government’s tick to be implemented. The scheme has had public consultation and was voted for by the majority of SDRC councillors.
MP James Lister told the Town & Country Journal that he will “look into it” this week when he’s in parliament, but he’s not impressed.
“People tell me that the scheme proposed by the council will disadvantage some people and financially benefit others, so I won’t be advocating for the cutting of corners to push it through. State government approval for new council planning scheme proposals is not a mere formality. The community expects that the state government will do its job properly under the Planning Act.”
Mayor Hamilton disagreed.
“ I also took the opportunity to ask the Minister for her support in getting the new Southern Downs planning scheme back to Council. It was delivered to the Queensland Government in December last year, and it will make a huge difference to housing affordability in the region by allowing smaller block sizes, allowing secondary dwellings to be rented to non-family members and allowing more infill development. Getting the scheme back to us is a concrete step the Queensland Government can take to encourage more affordable housing in the region.”
Mayor Hamilton confirmed water security was a focus.
“We discussed water security and the current water levels in our dams, and updated the Minister on the proactive steps taken by Council to improve our drought management plan with more ambitious water use targets for Stanthorpe as we make our water supply last as long as possible.”
Council officers are now holding monthly meetings with the Department for Local Government and Water to address both urban and agricultural water supply solutions for Stanthorpe and the Southern Downs.
Unprecedented cuts to disaster funding naturally attracted discussion in the room. The cuts will “starve us of the funds we need to bounce back after disasters,” Mayor Hamilton commented. This message was strongly delivered to the Minister for feedback to the federal government.
