Seeney Confirms plans to release dirty water from four Central Queensland mines into Rockhampton’s drinking water supply.

Media Release

Shadow Environment Minister Jackie Trad says the Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney today confirmed his plan to release dirty water from four Central Queensland mines into Rockhampton’s drinking water supply.

“After days of questioning by the people of Rockhampton and the Labor Opposition Mr Seeney today admitted he plans a ‘pilot’ release of dirty mine water from four mines in the upper Isaac River this summer, regardless of the level of rainfall,” Ms Trad said.

“This pilot water release from four mines opens the floodgates for the 36 other mines in Queensland wanting to release dirty mine water from the floods – this is only the beginning.

“The reckless Deputy Premier will release this dirty mine water without any guarantees about what impacts the release will have on the Fitzroy Basin water catchment, the local environment, the Great Barrier Reef, biodiversity and the health of our agricultural economy,” she said.

Ms Trad said Mr Seeney introduced legislation last Parliament sitting to make it even easier to dump dirty mine water and allowed only four working days for public consultation.

“Today, Mr Seeney is also talking up the introduction of a complicated pollution trading scheme, which the public has only one more day, tomorrow, to provide feedback on.

“Mr Seeney is forcing his dirty water deal down the throats of the people of Rockhampton with no consultation and no appropriate planning or process.

“Mr Seeney has criticised an ad-hoc approach to decision making on this issue but his announcement today that he is looking at establishing a salinity trading system shows the Deputy Premier is making it up as he goes along.

“His approach is the very definition of ad-hoc, Mr Seeney brings in new laws and then tries desperately to justify them. The long-term approach Mr Seeney talks about should have been developed before he introduced his new laws allowing for open-slather water releases,” she said

Member for Rockhampton Bill Byrne said the legislation introduced into Parliament last week which makes it even easier for the release of dirty mine water is further evidence of the LNP Government not talking to the public about the decisions affecting the community.

“It is obvious the LNP Government planned to release this dirty mine water all along and now they are using their massive majority in Parliament to do it with no consultation,” Mr Byrne said.

“The LNP Government has completely ignored the people of Rockhampton in this decision making process.

“The people of Rockhampton are still very concerned about what effects the release of this dirty water will have on the supply of our drinking water.

“We will fight the release of this dirty water into our drinking water supply every step of the way.

“The haphazard way in which Mr Seeney has attempted to manage this environmental disaster reeks of the usual contempt with which he treats serious environmental issues.

“It is frightening that the Deputy Premier can make this decision in such a disorganised manner with obviously no proper planning or process.

“The release of dirty mine water is strongly opposed by the people of Rockhampton, which raises the question whose interests is the Deputy Premier representing,” he said.