Responding to a recommendation by Infrastructure NSW that the state government not proceed with the project to raise the Wyangala Dam wall, member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said Infrastructure NSW "does not write government policy".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
"It is important to note Infrastructure NSW is an independent body that provides advice to Government. It does not write Government policy," Ms Cooke told the Cowra Guardian.
"The Wyangala Dam Wall Raising Project is critical to delivering water security, drought resilience and flood mitigation benefits for communities right through the Lachlan Valley," Ms Cooke said.
This week Infrastructure NSW released a report saying projects like Wyangala Dam and a proposed tunnel through the Blue Mountains linking Katoomba and Lithgow should be shelved in favour of smaller projects that provide "high paybacks".
Infrastructure NSW argued it would become increasingly difficult for the NSW government to deliver complex, multi-billion-dollar projects due to labour shortages and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Cooke said the Wyangala Dam Wall Raising project team is continuing to work through detailed studies and assessments alongside extensive community consultation, that will inform the preparation of the Final Business Case for the project.
"Lately this work has included Autumn field work, Geotechnical studies, consultation with 17 Registered Aboriginal Parties, finalisation of the Concept Design and the selecting of the major contractor between two highly experienced companies, Acciona and Seymour White, that were shortlisted during the tendering process.
"The project team has had to contend with COVID-19 and heavy rainfall and flooding which has caused some delays, but work is continuing to move forward.
"We will have further updates as this work progresses later in the year," Ms Cooke said.
RELATED:
Since the report's release NSW Water Minister Kevin Anderson said the government has not changed its commitment to the Wyangala project.
"I don't want to deal with hypotheticals and have a project put on the backburner because someone thinks that it's going to be a problem," Mr Anderson said.
"If we went down that path nothing would ever get built," he said.
On Friday Cowra mayor Cr Bill West said it would be totally irresponsible of the NSW State Government not to continue with the business case and environmental impact statement for the project.
"We can then have conversations around accurate information and informed decisions, not this rubbish scuttlebutt," Cr West said.
"Infrastructure NSW has produced a very much city centric report and I would go as far as to say they have a blinkered vision which doesn't allow them to see beyond the Blue Mountains.
"There is some relief that the Minister has expressed some desire to proceed but they need to stop the rumourmongering and scaremongering.
What do you think?
Send a letter to the editor by filling out the online form below.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark cowraguardian.com.au
- Follow us on Facebook
- Follow us on Twitter