Mond

Monday, 9 October 2006

‘MINI MOKOAN’ COST ABSOLUTE RUBBISH

Cost estimates of $50-$80 million to build a 10,000 ML or 20,000 ML dam in the bed of Lake Mokoan are absolute rubbish according to Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes.

Dr Sykes said, “An independent expert rang me last week and said that the costings to construct smaller water storages to maintain security of water supply in the event that Lake Mokoan is decommissioned are grossly excessive.

“The expert’s opinion is based on the costs of the recently completed environmental award winning Barren Box Swamp Project near Griffith, NSW.”

Dr Sykes continued, “In addition to grossly excessive costs, the estimated loss of water savings (up to 20,000 ML loss for a 20,000 ML dam) just don’t make sense.

“A simple analysis highlights this. The Government claims that the current Lake Mokoan loses up to 50,000 ML per year from 350,000 ML spread over 6,000 hectares. 20,000 ML storage would occupy no more than 6% (20,000/350,000) of the area. You would expect evaporation losses to be around 6% of current losses ie about 3,000 ML.

“How the Bracks Government experts have arrived at 20,000 ML loss in savings rather than 3,000 ML loss has me baffled.

Dr Sykes encouraged irrigators to look closely at the water offset packages prepared by the Government as further significant errors and impractical proposals were likely to exist.

Dr Sykes concluded, “I give the Bracks Government 10/10 for consistency on this project. They have consistently used flawed and incomplete information to justify a political commitment made to the Member for Gippsland East to win Government in 1999.

“Unless the Bracks Government is made accountable we will have an environmental, social and economic disaster.

“Fortunately the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Peter McGauran, has reaffirmed his commitment to an independent assessment of security of supply and to thoroughly analyse costings when the Victorian Government proposal is submitted to him for endorsement.

“I will continue to liaise closely with Minister McGauran to ensure that the Bracks Government is held accountable for its actions.

Media contact: Bill Sykes (03) 5762 2100 or 0427 624 989