JOINT MEDIA RELEASE - Greater Mary Association Inc. and Save the Mary River Coordinating Group Inc.

C.G. recognises 1200 serious problems with Traveston dam

Yesterday’s release of the Queensland Coordinator General’s evaluation report for the proposed Traveston Crossing dam raises more questions than it provides answers.

Save the Mary River Coordinating Group secretary David Kreutz said “The Coordinator General bases his report on the assumption that the Traveston Crossing dam is a key component of the Queensland Governments strategy to provide secure water supplies for South East Queensland.”

“This is a myth.”

“It would be a dogger of a dam in a drought,” explained Darryl Stewart president of the Greater Mary Association. “We’ve repeatedly made the point that it would fail in less than 18 months of dry conditions. The Government has never been able to refute this.”

“You’d be crazy to call this water security.”

The report outlined 1200 conditions of approval which Mr Kreutz labeled as unproven and uncharted.

“The 1200 conditions imposed by the Coordinator General means there are 1200 serious problems with this project.”

The release of this report takes the controversial project on to the next stage with Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett finally being in a position to formally take responsibility for the future of the Mary River and Great Sandy Strait.

Mr Kreutz said “We demand that Peter Garrett calls for independent public scrutiny of the 1200 conditions and volumes of associated technical documentation that have not previously been made public.”

“There is widespread unwavering opposition to this proposal. We will continue to harness greater public and scientific support in our fight against this extremely wasteful project.”

Media Contacts

David Kreutz (Save the Mary River Coordinating Group) 043 268 3147

Darryl Stewart (Greater Mary Association) 041 877 1655

Steve Burgess (Save the Mary River Coordinating Group) 07 5484 3749