Mary River Dam
Queensland Premier, Peter Beattie, today annouced plans to fast track the destruction of fisheries productivity and instream diversity in the Mary River, north of Brisbane. His announcement comes after years of research into the deleterious effect of river regulation on freshwater ecosystems. The funding for this dam will come from the privatisation of the retail arm of energex, the company responsible for the provision of electricity to Queensland.
At least two important species call the river home, the endemic Mary River turtle, and the Queensland Lungfish (which represents a lineage that is around 380 million years old!). The proposed dam will not not only have an effect on these species, but will also disrupt human activities upstream and downstream (such as tourism and fishing on Fraser Island).
Here’s an idea, instead of fucking environmental flows even more, maybe the Government of the Smart State could redirect our $1 billion dollars into it’s water recycling strategy? Perhaps they could do more to encourage Brisbanites to stop using so much water? Maybe they should actually nip this problem in the bud by regulating development in the south east? Do it for the kids, you dumb arses!
April 27th, 2006 at 9:08 am
They will just get more people to use the extra water they will have and be in the same place in a few years time. The only way to go is to limit development subsidise greywater systems for households and encourage the use of water saving devices through out the house. Currently brisbane uses much more water per person than places like Melbourne.
April 27th, 2006 at 9:45 am
Yes, they all need to learn the art of the ‘Power Shower’ right Tomo?
April 27th, 2006 at 1:41 pm
Read the links to the turtle and the lungfish - seems like they will be in big trouble.
We need to at least register our protest about what will happen to them.
May 2nd, 2006 at 2:39 pm
load up the kombi YLM/YLD!!