Supporting one of Australia’s most important agricultural regions – the Burdekin Basin
A joint ministerial Water Information Session was held in Townsville on May 17 to discuss water infrastructure and planning opportunities in the Burdekin Basin, one of Australia's most unique and important agricultural regions.
While in Townsville for the occasion, the Hon Tanya Plibersek, MP – Minister for the Environment and Water, announced the Government's $5.5 million investment towards regional water planning in the Burdekin Basin. The funding will support a Regional Water Assessment to determine the optimal mix of water infrastructure and non-infrastructure solutions to help inform future investment decisions. The assessment will ensure decisions can be made in the context of strategic, long-term, and regional planning. Projects will be prioritised by opportunity, need, location, the scope of work required, and potential environmental benefits.
Around 80 people attended the event, with representatives from all levels of Government, Traditional Owners, industry stakeholders, water services providers, science and research institutions, farmers, and local communities.
Nature positive
The event was another opportunity for the Government to reinforce their nature-positive agenda and emphasis on sustainable development. This includes prioritising environmental water policies focussed on repairing nature and restoring damaged ecosystems. The Burdekin Basin is home to more than 5500 species and the nationally significant Ramsar Wetlands at Bowling Green Bay. It is also a gateway to the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which is under threat by external stressors such as extreme weather events, climate change and water quality issues such as agricultural sediments.
"We need to make sure that the water quality is good before it flows out onto the Great Barrier Reef because improving water quality has been identified as one of the most important things that we can do to protect the reef into the future," said Minister Plibersek.
A holistic approach to a shared basin
The Burdekin Basin Water Information Session also provided an opportunity to change the conversation from a project-based approach to water infrastructure to a whole-of-catchment level approach. The session emphasised that a project within a catchment has implications for the rest of the catchment. As such, more emphasis should be placed on holistic catchment planning incorporating the views of a wider group of stakeholders than what has conventionally been the approach.
The $5.5 million commitment made in Townsville for the Burdekin Regional Water Assessment forms part of the government’s $11.5 million commitment to water planning across Queensland.