On its website, Granite Belt Water promises “We’re committed to keeping you informed as we build the Granite Belt Irrigation Project to transform our future.”  Their last newsletter was 28 July 2021.  Yep, that’s almost one full year ago.  Their last (short) media release was more than 3 months ago, on 1 April 2022, thanking the Federal government for its “contribution” of additional taxpayer funds of $126.5 million.  Perhaps the long silence is because they don’t have anything to inform us about?

BUT WAIT.  IF GRANITE BELT WATER WAS GOING TO PULL OUT OF THE PROJECT, DON’T YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE WORTHY OF AN UPDATE?

On 22 February 2022 the Federal government and the Queensland government signed a replacement Schedule D to their National Partnership Agreement on the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund.  The previous Schedule D referred to the project being managed by Granite Belt Water.  But in the new Schedule D of February 2022 the Federal Government wanted written confirmation from the Queensland Government “that Granite Belt Water Limited supports an alternative, suitably qualified entity taking the lead on the project; and activity is underway to facilitate the potential transfer of the project...”

So who might this alternative, suitably qualified entity be?

If you don’t want to wait around for Granite Belt Water to keep you informed - sometime in the next century maybe - then let’s see what Mayor Pennisi has to say about this.

You’ll remember that late last year rumours had been swirling about Mayor Pennisi asking Sunwater to take over the Emu Swamp Dam project.  The Mayor denied these rumours, with the Stanthorpe Record stating on 7 January this year that

before Christmas, for example, the mayor scotched rumours that he had met with Sunwater representatives in relation to the Emu Swamp Dam project, or taken Sunwater representatives on a tour of the dam site.

Mayor Pennisi did add some detail on the Sunwater rumour, revealing to the Stanthorpe Record that “The Sunwater issue has arisen again because I understand the proponents have had meetings with the state government.”

Then during David Iliffe’s interview of Mayor Vic Pennisi on ABC Southern Queensland Breakfast on 29 April there was a curious reference as to who would be managing the dam.  Mayor Pennisi said: 

Emu Swamp Dam will be managed by a company, whether that be Granite Belt Water or a different company or a government company, that will come out in the wash at some stage.

That sounds very much like Mayor Pennisi might have known about this possible change to an alternative, suitably qualified entity.  Rather than keeping it hidden in the ole laundry basket, waiting for it to come out in the wash, wouldn’t it be better (particularly from a Mayor who campaigned on a platform of open and transparent government) to keep us all up to date with developments?  

The new Schedule D is publicly available here so refreshingly we shouldn’t have to put up with any suggestions that this is “commercial-in-confidence”. 

Or maybe Granite Belt Water might find time to “keep us informed”.  After all, now that Council has agreed to buy in to Emu Swamp Dam the ratepayers of the Southern Downs, whether we like it or not, are investors in this project. 

Whoever it comes from, whether it be from Granite Belt Water or Council, a little commitment to keeping us informed certainly wouldn’t go astray.