Damming northern Australian rivers questioned as damning to sustainability

Different visions for developing northern Australia -
the Coalition wants to build dams, while
 Labor wants to support the tourism industry.

Ahead of the election, the major parties have released different visions for developing northern Australia. The Coalition has committed to dam projects across Queensland; Labor has pledged to support the tourism industry.

These pledges build on the Coalition’s A$5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, a fund to support large projects, starting on July 1.

The Coalition has pledged A$20 million to support 14 new or existing dams across Queensland should the government be returned to power, as part of a A$2.5 billion plan for dams across northern Australia.

Labor, meanwhile, will redirect A$1 billion from the fund towards tourism, including eco-tourism, indigenous tourism ventures and transport infrastructure (airports, trains, and ports).

It is well recognised that the development of northern Australia will depend on harnessing the north’s abundant water resources. However, it’s also well recognised that the ongoing use of water resources to support industry and agriculture hinges on the health and sustainability of those water resources.

Read the piece on The Conversation by a Senior Fellow from the Centre for Resources, Energy and Environment Law at the University of Melbourne, Erin O'Donnell; the Emeritus Professor of Water Science at Monash University, Barry Hart; and a Research fellow at the Department of Infrastructure Engineering at the University of Melbourne, Avril Horne - “Rush to dam northern Australia comes at the expense of sustainability.”